New movie Cocaine Bear is a silly thriller-comedy twist, inspired by a 1985 drug run gone wrong. Cocaine bear, directed by Elizabeth Banks, hit theaters on Feb. 24, 2023, and has since received mixed reviews. Cocaine Bear is a good movie when you’re in the mood for a laugh, but it is definitely not meant for the weak-stomached, involving lots of gory mayhem. 

The true Cocaine Bear story starts in Dec. 1985 when The Georgia Bureau of Investigation reported that a 175-pound black bear died of an overdose of cocaine after uncovering a batch. Andrew Thorton, a convicted drug smuggler, dropped loads of cocaine from a plane after realizing it was too heavy for the aircraft. With his tough luck, Thorton attempted to parachute away but initially plummeted to the ground because of a malfunction with his parachute. The state’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Kenneth Alonso, gave an autopsy on the bear and estimated there were about three of four grams of cocaine in the bloodstream. That poor bear must have died in pain and shock as his body was shutting down. 

I found myself chuckling at many of the jokes cracked in the movie. Jimmy Warden, the writer of Cocaine Bear, did a nice job of blending the two genres together. On top of the laughs, throughout the whole movie, there was a lot of over-the-top gory violence that is sure to make you squirm in your seat. 

The movie allowed its audience to stir up their imagination. A bear going on a cocaine rampage is completely false but could help its audience be inspired by other unimaginable things. It opens up creativity to people in a special way.

 In a weird way, cocaine bear educates people on the use of drugs. Depicting a monstrous bear going crazy because of its drug intake is an entertaining way of informing people about the harmful effects drugs can have. The movie spreads the good idea that drugs are bad, especially hard drugs like Cocaine.

 I enjoyed the fact that the movie was only 95 minutes long. Some movies feel like they go on for a lifetime, but Cocaine Bear went on for a reasonable amount of time. It wasn’t too long nor was it too short. 

Some aren’t too happy with the outcome of Cocaine Bear. Some might say, the only thing people continue to watch it for is the bear attacks. It doesn’t matter if anyone survives, we aren’t persuaded to take anything seriously. The movie is purely filled with jokes. 

Cocaine Bear is quite the thriller-comedy. I would recommend this movie to people who can tolerate lots of violence, gore, and adult language. If you are interested, Cocaine Bear is available in theaters but can also be rented or bought through sites such as Vudu, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime.