In this movie based on a true story, a bear in the 1980's eats cocaine that was airdropped from a plane and goes on a rampage across its national park. (This is loosely based on the true story. The actual bear just died of a heart attack. However, what happened to the person who dropped the cocaine appears to be fairly accurate.)
Cocaine Bear is one of those rare theatrical films these days that are intentionally campy. Writer Jimmy Warden (of the movie The Babysitter: Killer Queen) and director Elizabeth Banks (yes, THE Elizabeth Banks) decided to see how nuts they can go with this. The kills can be delightfully over-the-top and you're kept guessing as to what'll happen next (especially since it's hard to predict how the drug-addled bear will react) and who'll survive. This has the goofiest Mexican stand-off scene you'll ever see.
Great cast in this, especially considering how silly the subject is, including Keri Russell, Margo Martindale, Isiah Whitlock Jr., and Ray Liotta in what was the last role he filmed before he passed. The majority of characters are surprisingly fleshed out. The stand-outs are definitely Solo's Alden Ehrenreich and Outta Compton's O'Shea Jackson Jr. as two drug dealers, the former of which being retired and reluctantly dragged back into the business, who've been sent to retrieve the cocaine. They have this real every guy reaction to the insanity they find themselves in.
Admittedly, some of the bits and exposition scenes that don't feature the bear could've been edited down in order to make them stronger. Some of you may get bored with the people characters. A subplot about Whitlock's detective and his pet dog feels half-baked. Also, the clothing and personalities of a group of punk teens roaming the woods doesn't feel that Eighties.
The computer generated bear doesn't look too bad. You can tell it isn't real, but it works, and I was impressed that the effects guys put more effort into its anatomy than you'd think.
Recommended unless you're not big on R-rated violence. This is an enjoyable brains-off, sit-back-and-enjoy-the-ride situation.
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