100. Cocaine Bear; movie review

 

COCAINE BEAR

Cert 15

95 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong gore, violence, drug references, language

There's nothing like spending a Friday afternoon in the company of a drugged-up, very angry big black bear.

Elizabeth Banks is the director of the comedy horror which stars Keri Russell and is the last movie of Ray Liotta.

Cocaine Bear's opening credits claim it is based on a true story but further investigation reveals the connection is loose, to say the least.

Its focus is the loss of a huge consignment of drugs which are missing after being dropped by a smuggler from a plane over Florida.

Police and criminals go in search of the haul while hikers and locals walk in the woods blissfully unaware that one of the packages has been opened by the bear.

It has consumed the content and has been sent loopy and desirous of fresh meat.

Therefore, Cocaine Bear is largely made up of people being attacked and their respective body parts being eaten.

Isiah Whitlock Jr. plays the cop who has the thankless task of chasing down the smugglers and their leader (Liotta) and ends up running away from the foaming bear.

Mrs W. is not usually a fan of slapstick humour and gore, so I was surprised when she said that she had enjoyed Banks's movie.

While I accept that it is unique, it wasn't for me.

Bloody death after bloody death and a computer-generated bear becoming progressively more crazed just didn't tick my box and the characters weren't around for long enough for me to care about their fate.

But there's no doubt that Cocaine Bear's makers will be delighted by its box office success and, in deference to Mrs W, I give it six out of ten.

Reasons to watch: Certainly unique

Reasons to avoid: Not as funny as it thinks

Laughs: Two for me, more for others in the audience

Jumps: One

Vomit: Yes

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? The original cocaine-eating bear, known as Pablo Escobear, died of an overdose and did not kill anyone.

The final word. Elizabeth Banks: "Cocaine Bear is a ginormous risk. This could be a career-ender for me." Variety

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