Yogi Bear-Yogi Bear (2010)

Directed by: Eric Brevig | 83 minutes | animation, comedy, adventure | Original voice cast: Dan Aykroyd, Christine Taylor, Justin Timberlake, Tom Cavanagh, Anna Faris, Nathan Corddry, Andrew Daly, Dean Knowsley, TJ Miller, Jennessa Rose, Barry Duffield, Tom Kay

After ‘Scooby Doo’ and ‘The Flintstones’, Hanna-Barbera’s ‘Yogi Bear’ has also been put into the time machine and has emerged as a feature film in the present day. In 3D of course and this time not fully animated: the bear that is smarter than ordinary bears appears next to real actors on the silver screen. Boyfriend Boo-Boo and Ranger Smith, with whom Yogi Bear has had a love-hate relationship for many years, are also there. After all these years, the formula still works and the droll but also annoying bear is still able to entertain children.

Watching parents who still know Yogi Bear from the cartoon series will reassure that the bear has hardly changed on the inside, despite its CGI appearance. He is still obsessed with stealing the park visitors’ food and is still assisted, albeit reluctantly, by his little bear friend Boo-Boo. Ranger Smith (Tom Cavanagh) tries to steer Yogi on the right path with a final warning, but is soon distracted by the arrival of blond documentary filmmaker Rachel (Anna Faris) to Yellystone Park. Rachel has just spent some time with gorillas, but would like to make a documentary about Yogi afterwards, because a talking bear is very rare. That she is actually the only one in the story who finds Yogi and Boo-Boo a startling phenomenon is a bit strange, but it is not relevant to the story. Meanwhile, we also meet the power-hungry mayor Brown, who has ambitions as governor, but is confronted with a serious financial shortfall. This should of course be rectified just before the elections. He sees his salvation in selling Jellystone Park as farmland. Ranger Smith must do everything in his power to make the park profitable within a week. With Rachel’s help, shouldn’t it be possible? Yogi himself also has an idea to entertain visitors. Hope it turns out fine…

Of course, the screenplay never excels in originality: all plot elements have been transferred from other scripts of children’s films. Especially the solution to ultimately save the endangered nature reserve is very worn out. In the Netherlands alone there are plenty of examples where this has been used, for example ‘Pluk van de Petteflet’ or ‘Ernst en Bobbie’. Yet you can forgive the makers for this lack of inventiveness, because ‘Yogi Beer’ is otherwise just a funny and above all an innocent children’s film. The humor is never over the top and never crosses the line. No jokes are made at anyone’s expense, and the shit and pee humor often seen in these kinds of films has been completely omitted, which is a relief! The Yogi and Boo-Boo scenes are the funniest and will have kids laughing at the crazy antics the duo gets involved in. In addition, the well-maintained animation is well integrated with the live action images.

The best part among the human actors is for Anna Faris, who steals the show with her crazy facial expressions and ditto sounds. Her character Rachel is an outsider, and Faris doses her eccentric traits so well that Rachel remains believable and never becomes ridiculous or too comical. Unfortunately, Tom Cavanagh is not an asset to the film. There is no chemistry with Faris, but in the scenes without her he irritates rather than entertains. But the young movie viewer won’t care.

The 3D doesn’t add much to the film, but fortunately it isn’t exaggerated. Sporadically something is launched towards the public and the few times it happens it is effective. ‘Yogi Beer’ is a great way to spend time for your offspring and there is a good chance that you will see the film yourself without crooked toes.