Cocaine Bear (2023) User Reviews

It's exactly what it is supposed to be, and it doesn't lie about it

[lopresti-46927 · 6/10 · 24 February 2023]

This film is exactly what you think it is. It's a bear on cocaine going crazy in the woods. That doesn't mean it's not good. It's actually surprisingly good.

It's such a good thriller. You're on the edge of your seat for most of it and when you're not on the edge of your seat, you're laughing your ass off.

The cast is actually very unrelated. Keri Russell is phenomenal. Alden Ehrenreich And O'Shea Jackson Jr (Ice Cube's son) are great together and have great chemistry.

The production value is so so it is definitely not a super high budget film. But it doesn't look bad. The editing as well done especially during the action scenes and the CGI is actually pretty good.

....an apex predator high on cocaine, it's a riot.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 8 October 2023]

A bear gets hooked on cocaine, everyone wants the stash, Police, criminals, teenage gangsters, but none want it more badly than the bear.

I almost gave up fifteen minutes in, as I thought it was a straight up apex predator movie, it kind of is, but it's a cocaine bear comedy. Once you realise what you're in for, I urge you to stick with it, as it is genuinely hilarious, it's so funny.

It's amazing to believe that the story is actually inspired by actual, real life events, people's personalities change on drugs, why shouldn't a bear's?

I think the bear looks pretty good to be honest, the ambulance scene looked great, talk about crazy.

Don't expect brilliance, it's too zany for that, but it is a lot of fun.

7/10.

Necessities of the Bear...

[Xstal · 6/10 · 16 March 2023]

If you go down to the woods today you're sure of a big surprise, as mother bear's opened a bag of cocaine and is reaching for the skies, it's made her somewhat volatile and her temper wont abate, if she catches hold she will remould your limbs and amputate.

It's not the worst film about a drug addled bear high as a kite on cocaine that you'll come across, and it probably won't be the last, as variations on a theme are bound to come along in multiform. Quite often amusing, with various appendages and body parts being removed by claw and tooth, fine performances all round and it must have been a fun movie to direct and make.

For better or worse, it's the exact movie you expect from the trailer...

[Airman87 · 6/10 · 24 February 2023]

Cocaine Bear offers little beyond the trailers in terms of originality, flashiness, or cleverness, but it does offer more of the same...and a lot of it. Chances are, however you interpret the trailers and however you feel about them will determine how you enjoy this movie. If you're ready for a leave-your-brain-at-home 80's adventure of slasher gore (sans human antagonist) and some corny punchlines, then this is your ticket. I would be lying if I said I did not have the occasional chuckle, and truth be told, some of SFX company Weta's bear animations were uncomfortably realistic at times. Ultimately though, I found myself several times throughout the brisk 95 minute runtime wishing the film would tingle my brain with abstractions that never came.

My advice? If you like the trailer, see it in theaters. If you were indifferent about the trailer, wait until it hits streaming.

What can you expect about a movie called Cocaine Bear?

[danielcereto · 6/10 · 18 March 2023]

First, I really enjoyed the movie even it's flaws. I expected less from the first half of the movie. So it was great entertaining.

Second, the second half is extremly weird and predictable. Even the overused CGI almost ruined any credibility of the supposed "based on a real story".

Third, overall, the movie is funny, goofy, crazy, dumb and forgettable, just because the plot. A bear sniffing cocaine the whole movie.

Last, I am not going to spoil anything saying the premise was crazier than the execution, because the really weak script. It could have been a masterpiece, but instead you got an over the average gory crazy bear feast.

To add, this was the last Ray Liota's movie, so respect for him.

Extremely Boring and Confused

[boohoogland-67710 · 2/10 · 5 March 2023]

Movie wasn't scary or funny, and ultimately just a huge waste of time.

Gore was pretty subdued, often cutting away from the gnarliest parts so the film has failed as a horror/gore fest.

Humor was SNL levels of schlocky funny faces, movie couldn't really land a single joke. Movie was completely spineless, afraid of it's own rating.

Instead of watching a fun horror comedy, you are stuck with about an hour of dumb character development, a mother and daughter bonding, friends becoming friends, and some incredibly lame sub plot about overcoming grief.

This movie took a creative premise and somehow managed to make the most streamlined hollywood cash grab I have seen in years.

LONG LIVE PABLO ESCOBEAR!!

[JJ-Chi · 6/10 · 24 February 2023]

Come for the "Cocaine" ...stay for the "Bear." I am certain this will be a HUGE hit. They may already be working on sequels. Allow me to suggest:

• Cocaine Bear 2: Mushroom Bear (Trippin' on psilocybin)
• Cocaine Bear 3: Molly Bear (Luvs everybody)
• Cocaine Bear 4: Cannabis Bear (Uncontrollable munchies)
• Cocaine Bear 5: Viagra Bear (self-explanatory)

The title pretty much tells you what kind of movie to expect and delivers as promised. If you expect too much ...then you may be disappointed, but I don't think anyone who is going to see this film is expecting an Oscar-worthy meaningful masterpiece. Yeah, I guess the movie could have been better (definitely not a 10-star film), but compared to other things in this category; I think it's above average and effort was made to produce something entertaining.

I predict the "Cocaine Bear" films will become quite a successful franchise. I'm actually kicking myself right now and thinking: "Why didn't I come up with this first?!"

Really awful

[renatolgtr · 1/10 · 16 June 2023]

It is so cringe I could not make it to the end. There is not a single average actor, everyone sounds fake and unnatural. The kids are charmless, there are some techincal faults, looks like a student directed the movie. The boys from the gang are amateur actors, I really felt like I was watching a kindengarten play. The guy from modern family is a pastiche, in a bad way. Ice cube's son better reach out for another career, he is painfully lame. I can't remember the last time I watched something that bad. Even the 80' charm is absent, it feels like they didn't have the money to film proper clothes and houses. Sorry for my lame english.

Exactly what you'd expect it to be...

[benjaminskylerhill · 7/10 · 24 February 2023]

...And it's very good at being just that.

Granted, I really didn't expect a lot from a film called Cocaine Bear. What I did expect was some satisfying creature violence and some darkly humorous comedy to pad the time between the carnage. And the film 100% delivered on these fronts.

I truly appreciated that the script wasted no time. We get to see our titular monster bear in action from the opening scene, then we get the bear minimum (pun intended) of character exposition for all the people who may or may not get mauled, and we're off to the races for more bloody fun.

And oh, it's pretty fun. The CGI for the bear is shockingly good at times, and the gore is always impressive. It's not shown all the time, which was smart of them. It's only really shown at brief moments for maximum shock. Elizabeth Banks actually does have a knack for this, as it turns out. Color me pleasantly surprised.

Of course, not all the characters get to shine. Would you expect them to? Most of them are pretty disposable. But even the inconsequential ones get fun personalities and all the actors give it their all and are clearly having fun, no matter how small their roles.

What did surprise me most was that the film actually does give the true lead characters some heartfelt beats and emotional lessons that they take away from their horrific day in the woods.

One man learns to appreciate his friends amidst his grief, another learns to stand up for what's right, a mother and daughter learn to prioritise each other, etc. It's nothing groundbreaking or powerful by any means, but it did make me feel something.

And I truly did not expect a movie called Cocaine Bear to make me feel anything. The film won't be a timeless classic, but it's a really good time at the movies.

And Y'know what? If it's not trying to be anything other than that, I'm perfectly happy with it.

Disappointing - I expected a lot more!

[ethanbresnett · 5/10 · 4 March 2023]

Cocaine Bear promised so much but just didn't hit the spot for me.

There are too many characters in my opinion which becomes a bit of a chore and breaks things up a little too much. If there was more of a focus on just a couple of characters as the protagonists it would have been better.

The humour didn't always work for me. Sometimes it was good but it fell flat a little too often.

The central premise is great but it doesn't go far enough in my opinion. I feel like there was a lot more fun to have with the concept. Although saying that there are some wildly fun and gruesome body horror moments, and the effects on the bear and the injury detail are top notch.

Overall a bit of a let down. This film is mostly fun as expected, but the premise wears a little thin come the third act. Not quite the riotous spectacle I was hoping for.

lololololol

[FeastMode · 8/10 · 24 February 2023]

Ummmmm, where do I begin. I didn't watch any trailers or read any reviews. I saw the poster and title and thought, "I'm definitely watching that." After seeing it, I can say with confidence that it's exactly what a movie named Cocaine Bear should be.

Aside from being an extremely fun and outrageous thriller, this movie is hysterical. I was full-volume laughing frequently. So many parts are the perfect combination of memorable and hilarious. It knows exactly what it's doing.

The other thing that made me happy is seeing a studio have the courage to allow the filmmakers to go all out. I compare it to M3gan which was going for a similar tone. But M3gan was toned down to PG-13 so teens could watch. Cocaine Bear is rated R as it absolutely should be. It's not gratuitous but it never feels like it's holding back.

I had a blast with this movie. If the title or premise intrigue you, you will most likely be pleased. (2 viewings, opening Thursday 2/23/2023, 5/20/2023)

Hard to believe, but this actually (kinda) did happen.

[Mr-Fusion · 7/10 · 25 March 2023]

It's a giant bear that finds drugs and mauls people. Made-for-TV SyFy affair? Nope, a genuine b-movie, name actors and loads of gruesome deaths; and they are gory, believe you me. It's kind of a real kick with the more shocking ones (the ambulance scene screams to mind).

Too many characters walk in and out of this story, which is the one negative I can think of, on the whole; but it's oddly satisfying to watch them go. The real surprise here is, in such a whacked-out movie, there's actually a well-handled theme of a mother protecting her young. I can definitely appreciate this.

I had the benefit of a like-minded audience in the theater, and it's entirely possible that returns will diminish on future rewatches. But in the here-and-now, I enjoyed this quite a bit.

Side note: R. I. P., Ray Liotta.

Tongue not quite enough in cheek

[gavinp9 · 5/10 · 23 February 2023]

'Cocaine Bear' does exactly what it says on the box - it's a film about a black bear in Georgia, USA, that gets high from some cocaine dumped in the forest and goes on a rampage. Very loosely based on a true story, where illegal drugs actually were thrown out of a plane and killed a bear. Needless to say, the bear is CGI. The cast is surprisingly strong, with the main cast of 'The Americans' present - Russell, Rhys & Martindale - along with Ehrenreich (from 'Solo'), Jackson Jr (from 'Obi-Wan Kenobi'), Whitlock Jr (from heaps of stuff) & Ray Liotta's final ever role.

Even though it has funny parts, there's probably not enough consistently funny jokes or moments to be a true comedy. Likewise with the horror/thriller aspect - there's some scary moments, but nothing sustained or truly horrific. A bit of gore and I think the death tally reached 9 in the end, but probably needed to be a few more to reach actual horror territory.

It's basically a creature feature, and I'd put it alongside 'The Meg' and 'Piranha 3D', rather than 'Jaws' or 'King Kong'. The cast are all likeable, but their skills are severely underutilised. The score is good and some of the shots of the Chattahoochee forest are nice. The ending is a bit underwhelming with too much family drama.

Good gory fun

[Stevieboy666 · 7/10 · 29 April 2023]

Come on Internet Movie Database (IMDb), Cocaine Bear is a horror/comedy, not a thriller/comedy that you have it classed as! Went to see this at a local cinema last night and was not disappointed, it had the potential to be so bad but thankfully it gets a "good" (7/10) from me. For me some of the comedy worked well, other parts did not but there was a great deal of laughter from my fellow audience members. The funniest parts for me consisted mainly of people being attacked by the drug fuelled bear. There is no bad acting here but there are characters that are weaker than others, when the latter try to be funny it doesn't always work. I am not a big fan of CGI effects but they looked good here for both for the bear/s and the gore, and believe me this is a very gory movie, though done for laughs as opposed to shock. There are also a few effective jump scares, after all this is a horror movie. Ireland stands in for the US state of Georgia and if like me you like to see some well filmed wilderness then there is plenty here. Film is set in 1985 and as a teen from that fabulous decade I liked the 1980's nostalgia. If you want a gory, fast paced and fun horror comedy then Cocaine Bear is well worth a look.

*Cocaine bear :)

[bulletproof2k · 7/10 · 2 March 2023]

Not a bad, entertaining movie, there are funny moments in their situation. But like any game movie for one time viewing. I liked the acting and the way their characters behave in unusual situations.

I will definitely purchase this film for my collection, and if necessary, I will revise the scenes I am interested in as soon as it comes out in quality.

I want to praise the young actors who showed their performance at the height, I would also mention actresses, including those little-known in this feature film.

In general, I have a pleasant feeling from this movie, and I would recommend this film to all my friends who like the horror genre with elements of black comedy.

I really wanted to like this movie

[Kelly-130 · 4/10 · 2 March 2023]

I really wanted to like this movie but I just can't. I was hoping for some sort of non stop crazed coked out bear but what I really got was just boring.

After the opening bit we get 30 minutes of drawn out "set up" which wouldn't be too bad except there was no pay off.

I might have chuckled one time during this snooze fest that wasted far too much time on scenes like a lame fight in a bathroom, a police officer and his new dog and a park ranger that is dolling herself up to try to hit on the gayest man in the world.

If you've seen the trailer you've seen 90% of the best stuff this had to offer.

... IMDb reviewers got it right

[bjarias · 6/10 · 17 March 2023]

... from watching the trailer was really looking forward to this movie... not to diminish what Banks has accomplished here, yet felt it would not be overall as funny as that teaser video... it isn't ... there are more funny bits than in the trailer, but not enough to fill an entire movie

... cast is good & considering the way they all had to "act" throughout most of their time onscreen, they do a commendable job.. there just is not a lot otherwise to make it all that entirely-interesting-funny... it's not a classic like many would want-have you believe... the IMDb community got it right with an overall viewer rating slightly above "6"

Horrible, anyone rating above one star is lying

[ladyamaltheajones · 1/10 · 25 June 2023]

Maybe people feel obligated to rate higher because of Ray Liota, I'm not sure. Not only did I not laugh, I didn't smile, I winced in cringe and depression. It's just so depressing and not funny that everyone is brutally and violently killed. Everyone. And the main character, a child, watches some of it. Like how is this supposed to be funny? This is from, and for, very dark soulless people with no sense of humor or personality, who think being extreme will make them interesting. That's all I can think of as an excuse for this horrible waste of time. Banks is not Terintino. She should stick to non gore comedy and hunger games.

Ten minutes of true events, the rest made up, that's what they call based on true events.

[deloudelouvain · 7/10 · 27 March 2023]

Cocaine Bear, based on true events, that's how the movie started. That's all good and well, it gives the story a little punch, but I wished producers would give an idea of the percentage of truth for each story when they say it's based on true events. Because this story is only for ten minutes true events and all the rest is made up. That said the movie is entertaining, pleasant to follow, but it's just made up. There is no way anybody wouldn't die from a heart attack after eating that much of drugs, not even a massive bear. It's a bit dangerous for the innocent souls that could watch this movie. They might think you can eat spoonful of cocaine without risks. The cast was good for this movie, it looked like the entire cast of the excellent series The Americans has been employed. All good actors though. In short, we had fun watching this movie, although it's not hilariously funny, just don't believe anything that happened in this movie, a part of the first ten minutes.

What a shame Liotta ends his career with a mess like this

[duke-93242 · 1/10 · 6 June 2023]

I've got to wonder why such a talented actor such as Ray Liotta would have even been involved in such a catastrophe as this.

I tried very hard to find something redeeming about this movie but unfortunately I came up empty handed. It was a total waste of time from beginning to end.

I couldn't even classify it as a film that's so bad it is actually good because that wouldn't be fair to a movie like Plan 9 From Outer Space which actually does fit this category.

Since this is something that actually happened they would have been much better off to make it a horror/thriller rather then trying to go the comedic route. What they ended up with was neither frightening nor funny.

Better than expected.

[Top_Dawg_Critic · 8/10 · 27 February 2023]

I first groaned and rolled my eyes when I heard they made a film about a bear on cocaine, named Cocaine Bear. I Googled the name to look for the trailer, and stumbled on the Wikipedia page where I learned this movie is loosely based on actual events, and that's what sold me to give it a watch. If the fact a bear actually found and did cocaine for months isn't funny enough alone to give this film a watch, I don't know what is.

I'm just glad the filmmakers and producers took the already hilarious true concept, and made a film just as ridiculously funny. It's been a while I've heard an entire theatre burst out in laughter so many times. The entire film was simply put, comedy gold. The story could've been a little tighter in a few of the subplots, but the casting of the various colorful characters and all their performances made up for any of the writing issues.

The 95 min runtime was just right, as was the pacing, and the soundtrack was awesome and spot-on for that era. This truly is one of those rare ridiculous films that actually worked. It's a fun ride start to finish. Final fun fact; the actual taxidermied bear can be found at the Kentucky Fun Mall in Kentucky USA.

A curious hybrid of a film, but quite a fun ride

[wellthatswhatithinkanyway · 7/10 · 6 March 2023]

STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful

1985, Knoxville, Tennessee. A drugs parcel is dropped from a plane, resulting in the death of the courier responsible after a misjudgment with a parachute. Bob (Isiah Whitlock Jr.), a local cop, discovers the body, and sets a chain of events in motion. Drugs boss Syd White (Ray Liotta) sends his two minions Daveed (O,Shea Jackson Jr.) and Eddie (Aiden Ehrenreich) to find the drugs. Meanwhile, school friends Dee Dee (Brooklyn Prince) and Henry (Christian Convery) skip school and discover one of the packets, with catastrophic results. But a great deal of it has been consumed by a massive bear...and it's going on a rampage.

This unbelievably true story, directed by Elizabeth Banks and written by Jimmy Warden, is actually loosely based on the truth, and given it's so wild, that's as good as can be expected. It's actually adapted from some pretty tragic source material, as indeed it seems a bear did really consume a tonne of dropped cocaine, but was found dead in the middle of the woods. But, as a film, with all the facts not established, the makers are free to take some creative license, and with material as unhinged as this, they're free to go mad.

The very title promises something not intended as some kind of deep, searing drama or to be taken seriously in any way, and it is indeed a short, sharp, whacky ride, with its tongue firmly in its cheek, regardless of how outrageously gruesome and gratuitous it gets. It just plays out, does it's thing and leaves you unable to comprehend just what you've watched, and even more nonplussed that it's a true story. But it's helped along by spirited performances from its young leads Prince and Convery, along with strong support from Keri Russell as Dee Dee's nurse mom, Margo Martindale as a sturdy park ranger, and most notably Ray Liotta in one of his last roles, still unnerving as the ruthless crime lord, even in a lighter role. There's also a nice soundtrack to go along with it (to wit, the bear running wild after an ambulance to Depeche Mode's I Just Can't Get Enough.)

It's a bizarre little Frankenstein's monster of a film, a kind of family drama, horror film, crime drama, all wrapped up in around an hour and a half, and all the more perplexing that it's based on a true story (or, at least around true events.) It's just a fun, wild, strange little ride. ***

Are people also on cocaine writing these reviews?

[stuartbeards_ask · 1/10 · 2 March 2023]

Possibly the worst film I've seen. I never write reviews but given how bad it was, I'm doing so to prevent future disappointment for others.

The humor falls flat, the plot is meandering and tedious, and the acting is uninspired. The only suspense comes from wondering when the movie will finally end. Save your time and money and choose a different film.

In short, this film is a total dud. It's a waste of time and money that will leave you feeling bored, frustrated, and completely unsatisfied. Don't bother with this one - there are plenty of other movies out there that are actually worth your time."

Not to be Sniffed at

[jasep40 · 6/10 · 28 March 2023]

Cocaine Bear is a typical animal on the rampage movie, the only difference from those type movies is that the Bear in question has become high on Cocaine after ingesting a drug dealers lost stash.

It does say at the beginning "inspired by true events" I'd say this was a bit like saying "The Little Mermaid" was inspired by true events.

The movie is silly and totally over the top, especially seeing the Bear run at over 40mph, I guess cocaine is one hell of a drug!.

It certainly wasn't the best movie for Ray Liotta to go out on, but if you are a fan of ridiculous plots and over the top gore then Cocaine Bear will just about keep you amused for it's 95 min runtime.

A wild and hilarious ride with a furry menace

[FilmFanatic2023 · 7/10 · 24 February 2023]

Cocaine Bear is a dark comedy inspired by a true story of a bear that consumed 40 kilos of cocaine dropped by a drug smuggler in 1985. The film, directed by Elizabeth Banks and starring Keri Russell, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Margo Martindale and Ray Liotta (in his last role), follows the bear's rampage as it terrorizes a small town in Georgia.

The film is a fun and absurd B-movie that does not take itself too seriously. It balances horror and humor with some gory scenes and witty dialogue. The cast is great, especially Martindale as the sheriff who tries to stop the bear and Liotta as the drug lord who wants his stash back. The bear itself is impressive, thanks to motion capture and CGI effects.

The film is not perfect though. It has some pacing issues and some jokes fall flat. It also does not explore much of the social commentary or satire that could have been derived from its premise. It could have been more daring and outrageous in its tone and style.

Overall though, Cocaine Bear is an entertaining and ridiculous film that delivers what it promises: a cocaine-fueled bear on a killing spree. It is worth watching if you are looking for some mindless fun.