[Movie Review] COCAINE BEAR - Nightmarish Conjurings

There are potential spoilers in this Cocaine Bear review. Be warned.

I’ve got to hand it to director Elizabeth Banks. Based on her previous directorial films, Pitch Perfect 2 and Charlie’s Angels, I would have never guessed her next film would be based on an 80s true-crime story where a bear ingested an ungodly amount of cocaine. But here we are in 2023, and Banks has decided to give us the horror/comedy gift that keeps on giving with her latest film, COCAINE BEAR.

Taking place in 1985, the premise of COCAINE BEAR is rather simple. After a drug runner’s plane crashes, a shit ton of cocaine is dropped into Georgia’s National Forest. Living nearby is single mom, Sari (Keri Russell), and her daughter Dee Dee (Brooklynn Prince). After informing Dee Dee that they wouldn’t be going to the forest for a day of painting and instead going on a weekend trip with her mom’s new beau, Dee Dee plays hooky with her friend Henry (Christian Convery) and heads to the park. While there, they stumble across blocks of cocaine unknowingly leading them to the bear.

Meanwhile, drug kingpin Syd (Ray Liotta) is on a mission to retrieve the missing cocaine. Not able to trust his son Eddie (Alden Ehrenreich) to accomplish the goal due to his spiraling grief over the death of his wife, Syd sends out his employer Daveed (O’Shea Jackson, Jr.) to retrieve the cocaine alongside Eddie. Privy to the workings of Syd is Detective Bob (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) who upon hearing of this drug drop gone wrong, begins tracking Syd, Daveed, and Eddie leading him to Georgia’s National Forest. Protecting the park from all types of danger – human and otherwise – is Ranger Liz (Margo Martindale). The moments that she shares with animal rights activist Pete (an unrecognizable Jesse Ferguson) are some of the funniest moments in the film. It goes without saying that all these characters eventually converge and find themselves face-to-face with the bear from hell.

Overall, the whole cast is great and it’s clear from the get-go that they had a blast with this. Every single person knew the type of movie they were in which helped solidify a genuine comradery. The cast ranged from veteran actors such as Ray Liotta (RIP), Keri Russell, and Margo Martindale to rising stars such as O’Shea Jackson and Alden Ehrenreich, to newcomer Scott Seiss (aka IKEA man). The mix of talent worked exceptionally well on-screen even if some of the performances faltered at times.

As goofy as the premise is, the kills are anything but. When they do occur, it’s a jarring reminder that this cuddly-looking bear is a coke-fueled apex predator. From ripping off limbs to disemboweling its victims, this bear was on a non-stop mission to ingest as much coke as possible and god help anyone who got in her way. However, the violence isn’t JUST due to the bear, as a series of unfortunate events take place at that ranger station that’s not only hilarious but also brings loads of gore to the table. But nothing is as iconic as the ambulance chase that takes place shortly after that would put the Fast & Furious franchise to shame.

The film does a great job of capturing the aesthetic of the 80s without overdoing it. The film opens with a few PSAs to remind us that this time was when the war on drugs started. I could write a whole article just on that, but alas, this isn’t that review. Whether it’s the neon pink jumpsuit that Sari wears, the perm hairstyles, or the synth music deployed, the audience is transported to the past in a way that feels natural and not forced upon us.

COCAINE BEAR isn’t entirely a home run. Even with a 90-minute runtime, there were moments that felt stretched longer than they needed to, for example, when a few of our characters enter the bear’s cave. But for me, personally, the film lost its steam by the third act when the drug dealers converged with Sari and the kids. However, that didn’t take away from the hilarity of the film or the over-the-top gore. As this film is sure to become a cult classic, most viewers who know what they are getting into will be able to look past some of the more lackluster moments.

Overall, COCAINE BEAR will give audiences a sweet bump of exhilaration. Though the film falters at times, those moments are few and far between as the audience is sure to be more engaged by the mishaps of these characters as they try and survive their worst nightmare. With the world in constant disarray, COCAINE BEAR is the perfect distraction to forget about the real-life horrors taking place outside of the silver screen. Plus, who doesn’t want to see a bear do a line of coke off a dismembered leg?

COCAINE BEAR arrives in theaters on February 24, 2023.

Author
Recent Posts

Follow Me

Shannon McGrew

Founder/Co-Owner at Nightmarish Conjurings

Shannon is the Founder of Nightmarish Conjurings and a lover of all things horror and haunt related. When she's not obsessively collecting all things "Trick 'R Treat" related, or trying to convince everyone that "Hereditary" is one of the greatest horror films ever made, you can find her designing interiors for commercial restaurants. An avid haunt fan, Shannon spends the entire year visiting haunts and immersive experiences throughout the Southern California area and hopes to one day design her own haunted attraction.

Follow Me

Latest posts by Shannon McGrew (see all)