Film Review: COCAINE BEAR (2023): Elizabeth Banks Directs a Fast Paced Crowd-Pleaser with Plenty of Stylish Action

Cocaine Bear Review

Cocaine Bear (2023) Film Review, a movie directed by Elizabeth Banks, written by Jimmy Warden and starring Keri Russell, Ray Liotta, Aiden Ehrenreich, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Isiah Whitlock Jr., Brooklynn Prince, Christian Convery, Margo Martindale, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Kristofer Hivju, Hannah Hoekstra,  Ayoola Smart, Aaron Holliday, J.B. Moore, Leo Hanna, Kahyun Kim, Scott Seiss and Matthew Rhys.

Director Elizabeth Banks’ wild, fun and crazy action/horror/comedy, Cocaine Bear, is one of the most entertaining films so far this year even if some of it is just so over-the-top that it occasionally becomes an exercise in sheer insanity but in a good way. It’s just really enjoyable to watch despite any problems one may have with the improbable, yet high-concept, story line. Just sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

The film opens with a man throwing several bags of cocaine out of a moving airplane then accidentally injuring himself and falling out of the plane before landing on the ground dead. When a mixed sex couple end up photographing a cute bear in the wilderness, they see that the bear is wild beyond a reasonable doubt. He ends up biting one of their legs off while the other escapes. This bear has absorbed a fair amount of cocaine that has landed from the plane and the drugs will soon be hunted by its rightful criminal owner, Syd (the late, great Ray Liotta).

Keri Russell plays Sari, a nurse who’s taking on extra shifts against the wishes of her daughter, Dee Dee (Brooklynn Prince) who is coloring in her sneakers when we first meet her. Dee Dee ends up going into the wilderness beyond her mother’s back alongside her young friend, Henry (Christian Convery). They find some of the cocaine and Henry hilariously tells Dee Dee that one is supposed to take in the cocaine in a tablespoon sized dose.

The always reliable Margo Martindale plays a park ranger named Liz who will soon find that she will have to defend herself and others from the vicious bear who attacks anything and everything that gets in his way before seeking out more cocaine. Did I mention the guys trying to get back the cocaine for Syd, Eddie (Aiden Ehrenreich) and Daveed (O’Shea Jackson Jr.)? All hell breaks loose as a cast of various characters become intertwined in this plot as Sari tries to find her daughter Dee Dee who disappears from the action for a while while other characters (such as Henry) must deal with trying to escape the wrath of the bear.

Another hilarious scene has the bear falling on a key character in the movie who gets to tell what sex the bear is thanks to feeling a certain part of the bear. Since the bear is female, could baby cubs be far behind? And, what will happen when Syd arrives and wants his cocaine back at any cost?

Banks’ direction is amazingly on point. She keeps the action moving at a fast clip as the action progresses fast and furiously with a vengeance. The bear attack scenes are ferociously intense and keep the action interesting, especially when the super wild animal appears on screen to wreak havoc.

There are a couple of characters who don’t really work as anything other than catalysts for the plot to move forward. One such character is Kid (Aaron Holliday) who is basically just a dim-wit who gets himself and his friends into more trouble than they ever imagined. There is also a cop named Reba (Ayoola Smart) who gets lost in the shuffle. Isiah Whitlock Jr. shines as Reba’s partner/superior, Bob, who tries to keep the bear away from some characters within the movie. Whitlock Jr. has some terrific scenes here with his high energy.

In a set piece in the movie, an ambulance is being chased by the bear. This sequence is exciting to watch and will have audiences on the edge of their seats. The ending, itself, is a signature Hollywood showstopper set around a cave with one character actually getting his guts ripped out by the bear. This is one unpredictable ride for sure.

Russell is underused but still effective as Sari and Russell is building up a resume of horror movies with this movie coming on the heels of the far inferior, Antlers. Ray Liotta doesn’t disappoint either making us remember why he was one of our most underappreciated actors with his terrific villain turn here. Liotta’s performance will make the audience want to see his character have an encounter with the “cocaine bear.” Audiences will be awaiting the moment where these two finally come face-to-face.

Cocaine Bear is a roller coaster ride filled with fierce intensity that will please any audience looking for a movie that is absolutely energetic and, also, surprisingly funny at times. Banks has crafted a movie that most viewers won’t want to end. As the film’s true star (the bear) keeps getting high as a kite and marking his territory one victim at a time, Banks never allows the action to become dull. This is a sure-fire crowd-pleaser.

Rating: 8/10

Leave your thoughts on this Cocaine Bear review and the film below in the comments section. Readers seeking to support this type of content can visit our Patreon Page and become one of FilmBook’s patrons. Readers seeking more film reviews can visit our Movie Review Page, our Movie Review Twitter Page, and our Movie Review Facebook Page. Want up-to-the-minute notifications? FilmBook staff members publish articles by Email, Feedly, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, Reddit, Telegram, and Flipboard.