Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine rushing to the cinema to see a film about a bear with an incredibly intense addiction to cocaine. 2023 certainly is a wild one. Audiences can witness the hilarity of Pablo Escobear on the big screen right now. Cocaine Bear is officially out, so what are you waiting for? Book your tickets now.
Synopsis
Inspired by the 1985 true story of a drug runner’s plane crash, missing cocaine, and the black bear that ate it, this wild dark comedy finds an oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists and teens converging in a Georgia forest where a 500- pound apex predator has ingested a staggering amount of cocaine and gone on a coke-fueled rampage for more blow … and blood.
Review
When Cocaine Bear was first announced, it was easy to make assumptions on what to expect. It’s about a bear, and it’s about cocaine. Easy, right? However, nothing can prepare you for what Cocaine Bear throws at you. It truly is a complete surprise in the best way imaginable. Cocaine Bear is hilariously unapologetic from start to finish with each scene escalating in spontaneity and brazenness. Comedy films in general can be tricky. It’s all about traversing the wide spectrum that is humor. With the subjectivity of comedy, it is very easy to either get it wrong or be inconsistent with it. Cocaine Bear, however, is able to find this sweet spot. There are a few moments that don’t quite stick the landing, but Cocaine Bear is ridiculously consistent with its delivery, timing, and its approach to a anthropomorphic drug addict.
Now, thanks to this true tale, we actually know what happens when a bear ingests cocaine… It dies. But where is the fun in that? Pablo Escobear is this odd mixture of charming and terrifying. While high on cocaine, Pablo is rather adorable and quirky, but, when that fixation for more goes into overdrive… Pablo transforms into a powerful goliath, and suddenly you’re in the eye of the storm. This comical and outrageous story turns into a horrific nightmare, and Cocaine Bear does an outstanding job of maintaining that balance which results in a completely unpredictable onslaught of blood and powder. The film takes this wild animal and pumps it with a loveable personality that somehow perfectly incapsulates the mere concept of a bear on drugs. It then combats that persona with this constant reminder that we are in fact dealing with a very wild, and very dangerous creature, and Cocaine Bear does not shy away from that.
To put it simply, it is an absolute bloodbath. It’s as funny as it is gory, and the film utilises that gore perfectly. It’s gory in a fun way, and it’s gory in sickening way. The film knows exactly how to make your skin crawl. Filled with graphic details that’ll turn your stomach, and excuriating injuries that will make you audibly gasp, Cocaine Bear is a high-octane blood fest of epic proportions.
Before the film started, there was definitely this gripping fear of Pablo Escobear being sidelined in favour of the human cast. It is a very common trait in monster/alien movies. Thankfully, that isn’t the case in the slightest. Pablo is the undesputed star of the film, but the cast amplifies the craziness tenfold. Every single character is just fantastic. There are quite a few characters in this film, all with a different purpose, but seeing their stories converge was just a treat. This film really is the epitome of “in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
With so many characters, it’s impossible to dive into them all, but they were all brilliant. Alden Ehrenreich as the depressed Eddie and O’Shea Jackson Jr. as Daveed were the absolute highlight, and it even became a bit of a tug of war with Pablo for that delicious limelight. They were both incredibly wholesome in their own unique way. While it was originally very easy to lump them in with stereotypical drug dealers, Cocaine Bear flips it all on its head. Eddie and Daveed’s story takes a surprising yet sweet detour that allows their characters to flourish hilariously while putting them directly in the middle of the action. Despite being flawed and arguably bad people, it was impossible not to root for them. Having said that, it was also impossible not to root for the murderous bear…
Cocaine Bear may not be the big blockbuster that’ll drag the masses to the cinema, but it is an utter laugh fest that was personally well needed. It has been quite some time since I’ve sat and laughed that much at a movie, so bravo Cocaine Bear for igniting that spark and delivering quite the experience.
Verdict
Cocaine Bear is a high dose of fun and hilarity that’ll have you snorting with laughter from start to finish. Is it ridiculous? Of course it is! But that’s the magic of Cocaine Bear. This film is truly untamed and unhinged, holding nothing back in regards to gore and brutality. While the entire humanoid ensemble are brilliant in their own individual ways, especially Alden Ehrenreich’s Eddie, the spotlight remains firmly on Pablo Escobear and his ruthless endeavour for coke.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cocaine Bear, directed by Elizabeth Banks, stars Keri Russell (The Americans), O’Shea Jackson, Jr. (Straight Outta Compton), Christian Convery-Jennings (Sweet Tooth), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family), Brooklynn Prince (The Florida Project), Isiah Whitlock Jr. (BlacKkKlansman), Kristofer Hivju (Game of Thrones), Hannah Hoekstra (2019’s Charlie’s Angels) and Aaron Holliday (Sharp Objects), with Emmy winner Margo Martindale (The Americans) and Emmy winner Ray Liotta (The Many Saints of Newark).
Cocaine Bear will be in cinemas in the UK on February 24th, 2023. You won’t want to miss this one…
