MovieChat Forums > Cocaine Bear (2023) Discussion > Extremely disappointing

Extremely disappointing

posted a year ago by BeenSavage (563)
13 replies | jump to latest

I was excited coming in given the premise of a raging, homicidal bear hopped up on coke. In general I was expecting a little something along the lines of Snakes on a Plane; over the top violence with a little humor. Unfortunately you get the complete opposite here. In total there may've been 6 bear related deaths where at least half of them were off-screen. The bear itself wasn't particularly homicidal as it was just a dopey, irritable coke fiend. One of the sub-plots revolves around a single mother, her adolescent daughter, and friend, who manage to outmaneuver and outsmart said bear amongst a cast of armed individuals....just because. The second sub-plot revolves around drug traffickers with a conscience, something I've never really seen on film.

This movie is confused. It doesn't know what it wants to be. There's somewhat of a plot but you're left wondering how much of it is invested given it's lack of tone and direction. Elizabeth Banks continues to churn out duds and it's baffling how she continues to get these directorial opportunities. It's truly a shame because if this title were to be given to just about anyone else it could've been a fun popcorn flick.

[–] Anotherday (8033) a year ago

I'll agree that it was disjointed with the multiple character backstories. There was also an issue with passage of time in a few edits where the bar scene happens and immediately it's the next day or two. But it comes off as immediately at or after the conversation at the bar.

Mr. H Reviews attributed the issues to a bad editor. Though I still enjoyed it. I wouldn't call it a dud though. It's making a profit and it was a good palet cleanse.

[–] BeenSavage (563) a year ago

You're right. Calling this a, "dud" was incorrect. I think it'll continue to do really well at the box office given it's unique premise. Very surprising also to see such a high critics score on RT atm.

[–] Anotherday (8033) a year ago

It's funny how the ratings go. Honestly, It's sad you didn't enjoy it as much as I did, but you gave it a try. I'm hoping for more weird movie ideas rather than the standard super hero or social commentary flick.

[–] BeenSavage (563) a year ago

I'm hoping for more weird movie ideas rather than the standard super hero or social commentary flick.

This is definitely something you and I can agree on!

[–] HarlemEagle42 (16470) a year ago

Yeah I thought it was fine, but I was thinking the same thing. The editing did feel really off. Like when that hiker guy apparently gets killed off camera, and is seemingly forgotten about, but then we see his corpse in a flashback five minutes later.

[–] loa14 (70) a year ago

Agree. They even introduced that cute fluffy dog thing, which I thought was gonna get eaten by the bear, but didn't.

Snakes on a Plane should have been what they were going for. Just sustained over the top silly gore. Even in a 90-minute film, they couldn't do that. It felt like a long 90 minutes, honestly. Very forgettable.

[–] hurricane (1934) a year ago

I saw it last night.

It was okay, but nothing brilliant. I didn't think it was as crazy or as funny as it thought it was. A few cool deaths, the odd funny joke. A lot of supporting characters were boring, or did nothing funny.

At the end of the day, a bear having cocaine just isn't a funny enough idea to carry a horror b-movie

[–] andreaahr (2333) a year ago

I totally agree with you. The only scene that was good was the beginning scene with the two hikers seeing the bear for the first time when she was scratching her back on the tree. The movie went completely downhill from there. I was excepting the movie to focus on the woods, people camping and the bear running amok.

[–] Olivergbyrne (685) a year ago

I share your feelings. I expected a lot more. There was some funny moment here and there but both the title of the film and the story promised a lot more than it delivered.

[–] smidget28 (781) a year ago

Have to say most of this is spot on. I feel like it may have been the dumbest movie I ever saw.

[–] [deleted] a year ago

I enjoyed it and thought it was fun.

[–] exatera (3947) a year ago

So did I.

[–] looper007 (1134) a year ago

Way too many characters and a disappointing third act. Elizabeth Banks is way too safe of a director and needed someone like Edgar Wright or Sam Rami on board.

This should have been a balls to the wall animal horror comedy with crazy deaths and each one getting sillier and sillier and at least two to three fun characters to follow and battle the bear. I would have got rid of the Keri Russell and the kids storyline and whole crappy mama bear and babies last third. Maybe kept the O Shea Jackson/Aiden Ehrenreich dumb wanna be drug dealing duo trying to find the coke in the woods with Isiah Whitlock old cop and Margo Martindale's Forest Ranger hunting them down (those four were the best of the human characters in the film) and having to team up to kill the bear.

I did like the Ambulance attack that was the best thing in the film along with Whitlock's old cop and Martindale's Forest Ranger.

I can see why this is rated 6, it weirdly just plays it way too safe. the film did well in it's first week cause of the batshit crazy title but I'd be surprised if this lives long in the memory beyond it's title.