NOTE: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided us with a free copy of this DVD for review. All opinions expressed are our own.
It seems like we just told you about We Bare Bears: The Movie, and it's already here on DVD. Griz, Panda and Ice Bear are off on their biggest and most dangerous adventure ever. There is a lot more at stake than you might think when you press play.
No spoilers here in this review, but the three bears set off on a journey to find out where they really belong. Away from their home, and on the run, they head for Canada and a fresh start. If you're a fan of the show, you probably know that there will be plenty of antics along the way. This group just seems to find a way to get themselves into some sort of trouble. This time, they are being pursued by Agent Trout from the Department of Wildlife Control.
As far as bad guys go, Agent Trout is about at unlikable at they come. He not funny, he has no point whatsoever and quite frankly...he's just a jerk. Yes he wants to stop the bears from being who they are, but it's what he plans to do that is truly cruel. This goes far beyond typical cartoon bad guy stuff. This movie actually gets pretty serious near the end, and even a little dark at times. Agent Trout is a big reason for that, and I can't help but wonder if you all pick up on the same real life vibe that I got while watching this. I might be reading too much into it, but it seems like the movie, in it's own way, dips it's paw into a political issue or two. I'll let you be the judge of that.
There is plenty of humor to be had here as well. There is a bit of poking fun at internet celebrities and viral videos that I particularly enjoyed. Demetri Martin's Ice Bear is easily my favorite. His deadpan humor at just the right time just seemed to get more enjoyable as the movie went on. Along with the humor, we also had the story of how the bears found one another and became brothers in the first place. It ends up being a pretty good message about family and togetherness. Bonds can be tested, but they are never broken.
All in all, this movie was a nice mix of old and new that can be enjoyed by long time fans and new fans alike. It's not a very long movie, coming in at just over an hour, so it's something easy that you could sit down for a quick watch. If you're planning on watching with any young kids, it's mostly fine, but there are a couple of parts that could be considered a bit scary. I felt like there was fair warning though, so you'll be ready for it when it does happen. Overall this is is a fun movie that, at it's core, also deals with acceptance and the fact that anyone can be considered family.
Special features wise, there are more than you might think. You can watch the movie with commentary, there are some early sketches that you can check out and even a pitch for the movie itself. So if you're a big We Bare Bears fan, there are plenty of extras to keep you entertained. You might even say, it's STACKED with special features.
We Bare Bears: The Movie is now available on DVD. For more information on this release, check out our original story.
Photo Credit: Cartoon Network