3 Reasons Why You Need To Buy Cocaine Bear

3 reasons why you need to buy Cocaine Bear on DVD or Blu-ray!

When it was announced in late 2021 that an adaptation of the real-life Cocaine bear story would be making its way to cinemas, audiences around the world, myself included, were excited to see how this would play out. When the film's trailer hit the web in late 2022, I was hooked and ready to see this one. The films poster was a throwback to the 1980s and with its talented cast and crew with the likes of Elizabeth Banks in the directors’ chair and Kerri Russell, Alden Ehrenreich, Ray Liota, Jesse Tyler-Fergusson, O’Shea Jackson Jr and Margo Martindale. The film follows the “based on true events” story of a black bear in the Georgia State Forest ingests a large quantity of cocaine and goes on a murderous rampage, wreaking havoc on our core group of characters. The film's premise is highly exaggerated but works for this type of story. Overall, I had a great deal of fun with this film and to celebrate its release on DVD and Blu-Ray this month, I will be breaking down 3 reasons why you need to pick-up a copy of Cocaine Bear. So, without further ado, let’s get stuck into it. Let’s go!

Bears don’t climb trees – the artistic license and liberties with the story –

When we get a based on true events story, always take that statement with a grain of salt. The film, television show, book or game is usually far more interesting than the actual event itself. In this case, that is very accurate. The real-life cocaine bear died after ingesting the cocaine. Not really much of a story. Whereas here in the film, the bear goes on a rampage killing a lot of people and causing a lot of damage. Because of the absurd nature of the story and its set-up and the fact that there was no one harmed in the real-life event, it positioned itself for a fun, 1980s throwback film, and that is exactly what we got! The film takes liberties with characters, the events, and the overall resolution of the story, but to the benefit of the audience. Writer Jimmy Warden and director Elizabeth Banks know the exact tone that is needed for a film like this. It never goes too crazy, to add some sense of believability to the story, but it has an absolute blast with its insane premise. It’s the perfect example of how to do a fictionalised recount of a real-life event.

If you go out in the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise – the impressive cast of the film –

For a film like this to work you really need a good cast to sell it and man oh man does this film have a great cast. Cocaine Bear boasts one of the most impressive casts in recent years. With the likes of Kerri Russell, Alden Ehrenreich, Ray Liota, Jesse Tyler-Fergusson, O’Shea Jackson Jr and Margo Martindale leading the way. The film does a great job of playing to each of these actors’ strengths. We have a great blend of more serious performances with the silly over-the-top performances. Elizabeth Banks strikes a great balance. It was great to see Jesse Tyler-Fergusson get some attention in a larger role here, his memorable 11 season stint in the successful Modern family sitcom as Mitch showed just how talented he is.

I’ve always wanted to see a bear in real life – The Bear itself –

With a title like Cocaine Bear, above all else, there was one thing the team had to nail. The bear itself. And thankfully they did. The bear is a combination of both motion capture performance and pure computer-generated image (CGI) creation. The motion capture cast member in Cocaine Bear is veteran actor Alan Henry. Henry provides the movements, emotion, and physicality of the bear. If this movie was made in the 1980s or 1990s it would have just seen Henry in a big bear costume. The performance capture technology adds a level of depth to the film that pure CGI or bear suit would not be able to do. Huge props need to be given to the CGI artists who piece together the motion capture performance. The level of detail and the quality of the effects, really do elevate the film. It never takes you out of the movie, feeling natural and blending well with the surrounding environments, sets and locations. It's very organic and a huge reason why the film works.

Cocaine Bear is without a doubt, is a lot of fun. It may not be a comedy masterpiece, but it definitely is a lot of fun which is what the film promised to be. The cast are all wonderful and director Elizabeth Banks continues to impress as a director, finding a great balance in the tone of her movies. This is a must watch for film fans, and those craving a comedy take on a real-life event, then you will also find a lot of fun with this one. Make sure you pick-up your copy today on DVD or Blu-Ray collector’s edition, you won’t want to miss it. Link below. 

Buy Cocaine Bear on DVD or Blu-ray Here

Christopher Pattison wrote this blog post for Sanity. See more from Chris here