Having already opened internationally yesterday, Elizabeth Banks’ “Cocaine Bear” kicks off previews tonight and now the review embargo has been lifted and the verdict is in. Its mostly fairly good.
With 80 reviews counted, the film sits at a solid 74% (6.3/10) on Rotten Tomatoes, whereas the Metacritic reaction is much more mixed at 53/100 from 37 reviews.
Inspired by the 1985 true story of a drug runner’s plane crash, missing cocaine, and the black bear that ate it, the story sees an oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists, and teens converge on a Georgia forest where a 500- pound apex predator has ingested a staggering amount of cocaine and gone on a coke-fueled rampage.
Praise is being heaped upon the film’s tone and desire to entertain along with some of Banks’ direction such as an ambulance chase sequence. Less well received are some of the human elements with solid actors seemingly stuck with colorful but uninteresting characters. Here’s a sampling of reviews:
“Cocaine Bear struggles to sustain its euphoric highs and not all choices work. But the irreverent, zany fun, the underlying tenderness toward the characters, and a deeply committed cast ensure crowd-pleasing, unhinged entertainment will be had.” Meagan Navarro, Bloody Disgusting
“Simply put, Cocaine Bear is exactly what you want. It’s a film that knows that it’s ludicrous and relishes in the wildness of watching a cocaine-fueled bear go nuts on Blood Mountain.” – Ross Bonaime, Collider
“‘Cocaine Bear’ is less formulaic than a slasher film and more stylishly made. It’s a true oddball, one that mixes yocks and mock desperation and disembodied limbs. So when it’s over you can say, ‘Well, we definitely saw that.'” – Owen Gleiberman, Variety
“Cocaine Bear isn’t in the business of sacrificing antics for a greater purpose. It aims for maximum entertainment, reveling in farce and gnarly killings to create an experience that keeps you on your toes even if the details get murky upon further reflection” – Lovia Gyarke, THR
“True suspense would necessitate a narrative buildup, such as a coked-up equivalent of Jurassic Park’s Jeff Goldblum might provide. There’s a class A premise for a B-movie in here, but Cocaine Bear is just too sober to get high on its own supply” – Ellen E. Jones, The Guardian
“While the movie comes through on its gloriously stupid title, it still left me craving something extra. Sure, it might be strange to say that I wanted more from a movie called Cocaine Bear, but I expect a lot out of any film that promises a drug-fueled animal rampage” – Belen Edwards, Mashable
“This is basically a marketing concept put on screen. And it’s not that much fun seeing a computer-generated image attack sentient beings who may as well have been made out of cardboard.” – Deborah Ross, The Spectator
“Director Elizabeth Banks’ third feature leans into the material’s trashy B-movie qualities, treating this oddball crime saga as a dark comedy that is only sporadically as clever as it thinks it is.” – Tim Grierson, Screen International
“Cocaine Bear” is now playing in cinemas and is reportedly targeting a domestic debut weekend of $15 million.
