It’s Friday night, and the theater is packed. Sold out, to be exact. The crowd seems like it’s going to be rowdy, and that’s before the movie even starts.
No, it’s not the latest Marvel entry or a $100-million budgeted Tom Cruise flick (Maggie and Sean are both anti-Tom Cruise and did not watch “Top Gun: Maverick”).
It’s “Cocaine Bear.”
Against all odds, this mid-budget horror-comedy, which exists purely to show, in gory detail, what would happen if a cocaine-addicted bear went on a murderous rampage, sold out the Hamilton AMC theater.
There’s not all that much to “Cocaine Bear.” An insane drug dealer throws duffel bags of cocaine out of an airplane above Georgia, and a bear finds the bags before authorities or the smuggler’s associates can.
Murder ensues when a Swedish couple, two little kids playing hooky from school, three teenage hooligans, a drug dealer and his reformed partner, a park ranger and her lover, a mother, two ambulance drivers and a southern detective converge on the park for various reasons.
Surprisingly, “Cocaine Bear” even manages to squeeze out a central theme amidst the carnage in the importance of parenthood. One father in the story forces his son into the drug dealing business, and the primary plot beyond “Bear does cocaine” is a mother trying to save her daughter in the woods (and bringing a small child deeper into the co*ked-up-bear-infested-forest for some reason???).
Even co*key the Bear is just looking out for her kids, two little cubs also addicted to cocaine.
The movie isn’t flawless (though it is close). It peaks with the ambulance scene teased in the trailer, which occurs about halfway through the film. While the rest of the movie is still fun, it starts to drag a bit.
It also lacks much rewatch value. If we hadn’t seen it in a packed theater where the audience clapped every time the bear killed someone, it may not have been nearly as enjoyable the first time, either (Maggie disagrees with this — she plans to rewatch it at least once a year).
But the kills.
Oh my god, the kills.
Enjoy what you're reading?
Signup for our newsletter
If you’re not prepared for gore, you should not watch this movie. Blood and limbs everywhere, at all times. If that’s your thing, though, the violence in “Cocaine Bear” is funny and unique.
There are also countless little comedic details throughout the movie. The detective is clearly lonely, and he tries to get a dog to help but ends up with a shih-tzu instead of a labrador. He then spends the rest of the movie both upset that he didn’t get a fun dog and sad that he has to leave her behind to go look for cocaine in the woods.
And don’t even get me started on the traitor character in this film. That person might have ruined this otherwise nearly-perfect movie for me.
At one point, the detective shoots off two of the drug dealer’s fingers: his pinky and his middle finger. How did the bullet miss his ring finger? The characters are just as confused as us.
Overall, despite the shocking amount of gore and drugs, the movie was aight.
Rating: 7/10
scottsr2@miamioh.edu
penaml@miamioh.edu
Read More
The brothers behind the boards: What goes into DJing at a fraternity
By Mia Zurich | May 25, 2024
The primary motivation for fraternity members to learn to DJ is the thrill of playing new mixes, entertaining a crowd and spending time with their closest friends, rather than any monetary compensation.
Billie Eilish’s ‘HIT ME HARD AND SOFT’ tells stories of sadness and love through cohesive, vibrant beats
By Stella Powers | May 24, 2024
“HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” does not disappoint. The songs are filled with so much build and emotion, and it’s clear that Eilish put her all into this album. It is most definitely a no-skip record.
‘Young Sheldon’ ending is bittersweet, ties together seven seasons of the Cooper’s life with love and loss
By Stella Powers | May 24, 2024
I, like many others, went through a phase where I watched a lot of TikTok. During my hours of scrolling, mixed in with the many other videos on my feed, were these split-screen videos — half of the screen was taken up by some sort of ASMR video, and the other was filled by various scenes from “Young Sheldon.”
FAQs
Overall I'd say that Cocaine Bear is a solid movie and definitely not what I expected whatsoever. If you're ever in the mood to watch a “horror” movie and get a good laugh at it too this is definitely the movie to watch.
What is the story behind the Cocaine Bear movie? ›
A documentary titled Cocaine Bear: The True Story is now streaming on Peaco*ck, recounting the true story of a former narcotics investigator-turned-drug runner Andrew Thornton whose ill-fated 1985 smuggling attempt led to the cocaine-induced death of a bear in northern Georgia and his untimely death outside of a ...
Is Cocaine Bear a successful movie? ›
Cocaine Bear was released in the United States on February 24, 2023, by Universal Pictures. The film opened to generally positive reviews from critics and grossed over $90 million against a production budget of $30–35 million.
What happened with Cocaine Bear at the Oscars? ›
Cocaine Bear goes viral after Elizabeth Banks blames him for tripping her at Oscars. Kentucky's favorite party animal made a surprise appearance alongside the film's director at the Oscars on Sunday night.
What are critics saying about cocaine bears? ›
Critics Reviews
Cocaine Bear will, in time, stand as a dated artifact of the current moment's vogue for viral animal videos and epic memes. Content collapsed. This is a movie that makes no apologies for trying to make you howl in laughter and disgust – at the same time.
Is Cocaine Bear on Netflix or prime video? ›
The adventure film about a bear on a drug-fueled rampage is available to stream for free on Amazon Prime Video.
Why is cocaine bear rated R? ›
Parents Need to Know
It's very mature: Expect strong drug content, incessant swearing ("f--k," "s--t," "ass," "motherf----r," and much more), and relentlessly gory violence. The bear mauls and dismembers people, and there are explicit images of several severed limbs, as well as a decapitated head.
Is The Bear based on a true story? ›
The Bear is not based on a true story, but there are parts of the show that are heavily inspired by pivotal moments in co-creator Christopher Storer's life. Specifically, Storer grew up in suburban Chicago with Chris Zucchero, whose late father founded the city's beloved Mr.
Is Cocaine Bear a slasher film? ›
Elizabeth Banks' co*ked-up-bear-as-slasher comedy is better than "Snakes on a Plane." And we're already cued to watch it as a wilderness thriller crossed with "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
Was Cocaine Bear a flop? ›
The budget of Cocaine Bear was 30-35 million, and it has grossed 82.9 million worldwide (as of March 31st, 2023).
Third, overall, the movie is funny, goofy, crazy, dumb and forgettable, just because the plot. A bear sniffing cocaine the whole movie.
Why was Cocaine Bear filmed in Ireland? ›
Powerscourt Waterfall and Avoca Mines were chosen as locations to represent the Georgian wilderness where the real-life incident took place. Powerscourt Waterfall is Ireland's highest waterfall, and its stunning beauty makes it a popular location for film shoots.
Is The Cocaine Bear based on a true story? ›
There's a true story behind 'Cocaine Bear'—and it's no laughing matter. The new comedic horror film is based on the real-life drug overdose of an American black bear—and illustrates how human recklessness endangers wildlife. What would happen if a massive mammal ingested a bear-sized load of cocaine?
What happened to the dog in Cocaine Bear? ›
Two bear cubs whimper when a man hits and kicks them to get them to back off, but they get their revenge. There are no rabbits in the movie. There are no cats in the movie. There is no on-screen pet death but one character mentioned that her dog recently passed away.
Did Cocaine Bear survive in the movie? ›
And, crucially, Cocaine Bear bear survives, and the implication is that she and her two adorable cubs will have a happy future doing co*ke and mauling any unfortunate hikers who get too close.
How inappropriate is Cocaine Bear? ›
Violence & Scariness
Graphic violence is occasionally tempered by humor, but it's still relentless. The bear rips people apart; severed, bloody body parts are shown. It growls at and stalks children and adults and mauls, eviscerates, and kills many, many people.
When should I watch Cocaine Bear? ›
Cocaine Bear, a comedy movie starring Keri Russell, Margo Martindale, and Ray Liotta is available to stream now. Watch it on Peaco*ck TV, ROW8, Fandango at Home, Apple TV or Prime Video on your Roku device.
Is Cocaine Bear an Irish movie? ›
The action thriller is about a bear on a murderous drug-fuelled rampage after finding and ingesting millions of dollars worth of cocaine. Shot in Ireland, it is loosely based on true events, about a bear in 1985 that did overdose after ingesting copious amounts of the white powder in a Georgia wildlife park.
Where was Cocaine Bear filmed? ›
Directed by Elizabeth Banks, Cocaine Bear was shot largely in County Wicklow, Ireland. Perhaps surprisingly, the filmmakers discovered that the landscapes of Wicklow closely resembled the Georgia mountain wilderness. Ireland also offered many of the settings required by the story in close proximity to each other.
