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Life is a delicious adventure for Yogi Bear (voiced by Dan Aykroyd) and his sidekick Boo Boo (Justin Timberlake).
For a movie that claims life's a
pic-a-nic, there's actually a lot more to
Yogi Bear than a hat and collared talking bear with a peculiar taste for picnic food. Surely, the GP-rated live-action/CG animated film is targeted toward the younger audience, but it's also enjoyable for the grownups who have to accompany kids to watch. After all, it's difficult to resist bears that talk. And not only do they talk, they shake their adorable furry butts to Sir Mix A Lot’s
Baby Got Back. Of course, the mere fact that it’s Yogi Bear holds a certain attraction for those way past the kiddie age group. Some people may want to see the movie just to relive their childhood memories, since Yogi Bear first appeared in the Hanna-Barbera series
The Huckleberry Hound Show in 1958, before having his own show
Yogi Bear in 1961. A comic strip followed, and Yogi Bear became the first Hanna-Barbera character to be featured in a movie in
Hey There, It's Yogi Bear in 1964. This year's
Yogi Bear is the second time the character is featured in a full-length movie, along with his bow-tied sidekick Boo Boo, who arguably steals the show with his deadpan lines and impossibly cute cheeks. With Dan Aykroyd as Yogi Bear and Justin Timberlake as Boo Boo, the movie also features Anna Faris as nature documentary filmmaker Rachel Johnson, who becomes the love interest of Ranger Smith, played by Tom Cavanagh. Smith's deputy and the only other ranger on the park Ranger Jones is played by TJ Miller while Mayor Brown is played by Andrew Daly. The plot is simple enough. Home to hundred-year-old trees, and of course, Yogi Bear, the fictional Jellystone Park is about to be closed, since it's been losing money because of dwindling visitors, dissuaded by well-founded rumors of picnic basket-stealing bears. Ranger Smith, who "cares about things no one else cares about," tries to save the park by selling season passes at a grand 100-year celebration. But the greedy Mayor Brown is determined to close the park, and takes advantage of the vulnerable Ranger Jones, whose dream is to become head ranger. Recruited to help Mayor Brown ensure the celebration is a disaster, Jones in turn takes advantage of Yogi Bear, who prides himself on being "smarter than the average bear." Against Ranger Smith's wishes, Yogi decides to wow the park visitors with his water skiing routine, which unfortunately ends with everything falling apart - literally.
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On top of its slapstick humor, Yogi Bear is also about preserving nature and historical landmarks.
And this is where it gets meaningful. Jellystone Park is one of the last remaining eco-friendly spots in the city, but the power-hungry mayor wants to rezone it in order to sell the logging rights, save the city from debt (which is a result of his own overspending, by the way) and get himself elected as governor. Of course, good triumphs over evil, and Ranger Smith, Rachel, Yogi Bear and Boo Boo save the day, thanks to Boo Boo's pet turtle, which as it turns out, is the last of its kind. The park which is its home is therefore protected by law. Apart from the obvious theme of preserving natural and historical landmarks, Yogi Bear is also about redemption. Ranger Jones realizes his mistake and helps save the day. Ranger Smith, who at one point gives up, decides to keep fighting after a pep talk from Yogi Bear. "You can't fail if you never stop trying," he says, after he himself gets a pep talk from Boo Boo. Like many cartoons, a lot of the humor in Yogi Bear is slapstick. We all know kids get a kick out of falling, slipping, and bumping into things. But apart from the usual tricks to get the audience laughing, Yogi Bear actually has some pretty clever lines that will have you chuckling. For instance, in one of the more romantic scenes, Ranger Jones declares his love by saying "I'm like a genus without a phylum." While seeing the movie in 3D is unnecessary - the effects aren't particularly spectacular - there is one hilarious scene involving chips and dip. But what makes the movie worth seeing at all isn't the funny scenes. It's the valuable lessons you'll get while laughing your heart out.
- GMANews.TV