“Apex predator..high on cocaine.”

Cocaine Bear was released on February 24 and is a movie that tells the story of a 500-pound black bear who goes on a drug-fueled rampage after consuming a significant amount of cocaine. It follows a variety of different characters ranging from cops, tourists, teenagers, and criminals fighting to stay alive in the Georgia forest.

Yes, this movie is real. And it’s awesome.

The movie is loosely based on a real black bear who ingested 70 pounds of cocaine after it fell out of a drug smuggler’s plane in 1985. The bear died shortly after. But people started to wonder: “What if the bear survived?” Cocaine Bear was created to answer that question. And the result is an action-comedy with an insane story, absurd humor, likable over the top characters, and insane scenes with surprisingly good cinematography and CGI.

The premise of the movie is ridiculous, but the movie does a really good job of embracing this. The bear just goes on a killing spree while the characters are frantically trying to piece together what’s going on. All the characters are likable, and the dynamics between them gave many comical moments. It’s not a movie that’s trying to take itself seriously, and that in itself is admirable. It really leans into the absurdity of the story it’s trying to tell.

The movie excels in its action scenes. Scenes with the bear were thrilling, tense, and humorous together. The CGI did a good job of making the bear look somewhat terrifying but simultaneously hilarious. Some of the shots were actually really cool looking. There were a couple of stand-out moments that were genuinely very interesting and memorable.

Cocaine Bear is a movie that keeps you engaged from start to finish. The suspense and hilarity are qualities that really shine through and make the movie the enjoyable thrill ride that it is.