Netflix has just dropped a comedy-thriller that’s set the bar for outlandish entertainment this weekend.
Drawing inspiration from an almost unbelievable true tale, the 2023 slasher Cocaine Bear quickly reached cult status with its uncanny blend of humour and horror.
Directed by Elizabeth Banks of The Hunger Games fame and featuring stars Keri Russell and the late great Ray Liotta in one of his last roles, this film is a cure for the winter blues.
The flick presents a hysterical yet nerve-wracking story about a bear high on cocaine causing mayhem.
Though it seems outrageous, the plot is rooted in reality as it refers to a real incident where a black bear ingested a duffle bag full of cocaine that was ditched by smugglers in 1985, reports the Mirror.
Banks takes this narrative and amps up the entertainment value with laugh-out-loud moments juxtaposed with ghastly, unforgettable death scenes. It’s swiftly become essential viewing for horror buffs and those with a taste for dark comedy.
One critic on Common Sense Media praised the film, declaring: “exactly what a movie called Cocaine Bear should be..”
Elaborating further, they said: “This is a great romp and utterly OTT film,” adding, “The violence is visceral, gory yet somewhat cartoony and the bear is actually quite terrifying, with blood soaked slobber dripping from its mouth and a fierce hard stare that Paddington would be jealous of.
“Along with Snakes On A Plane, you get exactly what you pay for with a film called Cocaine Bear.”
A Google reviewer was utterly impressed with the film, awarding it a gleaming five stars and sharing: “I saw a trailer for this movie and seeing the poster and thinking it sounded like it’d be a laugh I gave it a go.. absolutely best decision I could have made! Far better than I expected it to be.”
They continued to praise the film, saying: “There’s some seriously funny stuff in this movie as well as some suspenseful moments but what I love is the old school feel of it all.”
The Independent lauded the film, stating: “Cocaine Bear is a film worthy of its title, and perfectly constructed to feel like the kind of cult horror movie you’d find on a dusty VHS tape somewhere in a stoner’s basement.
“It’s bloody and grotesque, at times quite dark, but also surprisingly endearing. Any worry that actor and filmmaker Elizabeth Banks’s third feature wouldn’t live up to its gloriously stupid title is misplaced.”
Meanwhile, the Guardian confirmed the film’s appeal, describing it as a “larky horror comedy is roaring good fun” and noting that it is “as daft as it is entertaining”.
Are you tempted to check out Cocaine Bear this week?
Cocaine Bear is available to stream on Netflix.