By If there was a black bear hopped up on cocaine running at you, would you survive?
According to “Cocaine Bear,” you most likely won’t.
Directed by actress and filmmaker Elizabeth Banks, this tale about a 500-pound female black bear going on this deadly, albeit hilarious, rampage is able to bring mindless fun to audiences.
It is especially impressive that this is Bank’s third film, her directorial debut was “Pitch Perfect 2” and her second film being the 2019 version of “Charlie’s Angels.”
From the get-go, “Cocaine Bear” shows audiences that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. You quickly understand that the film’s story and its characters wants and emotions are nothing complex. Some are there for the cocaine while others want to protect their family and friends.
While this may upset some individuals who prefer complex plots and character development, “Cocaine Bear” stands on its feet without those elements and instead puts more focus on physical movement and action.
Cocaine Bear's deadly creature is based on the 175-pound black bear that overdosed on cocaine in Chattahoochee–Oconee National Forest in 1985. Photo credit: Courtesy of IMDb and Universal Studios
But there is only so much that a bear can do on her own.
Even though the ridiculousness of the film’s main concept and its visual grab the audience’s attention, the banter between the characters propels the film forward.
From two middle school students chatting about who is cooler, to moments of characters that hate each other initially start bonding, these little interactions bring out the laughs.
By putting the focus on how the human characters interact and deal with crazy situations, “Cocaine Bear” keeps audiences wanting to continue the story.
With these situations come unique results for the characters, mostly being their deaths.
Some of the deaths were unique, as it wasn’t just stealth kills or fighting to the bitter end that most characters would have faced in this deadly monster/animal genre of horror film.
Not all the deaths in the film were in result of the bear either, there are some that have to do with humans being under the intense pressure of their surroundings.
This sort of realism when it comes to people making these mistakes is a breath of fresh air. The human mind can be as deadly as a black bear when under the worst circumstances.
When it comes to film, whether you want an escape from the real world or whether it be a documentary or the most futuristic science-fiction story out there, everyone wants to be entertained and enjoy the time that they have with a film.
“Cocaine Bear” was able to accomplish this. While it is nothing close to a cinematic masterpiece, you will leave the theater thinking about how dumb and hilarious the ride you took was.
