Movie Review: Yogi Bear

What is it with Ghostbusters and classic cartoon revivals? First there was Bill Murray in Garfield, and now Dan Aykroyd in Yogi Bear. What’s next? Harold Ramis as Penelope Pitstop?

Actually Aykroyd does a damn good Yogi impersonation in this film. And Justin Timberlake does a pretty passable Boo-Boo as well, believe or not.

The plot, such as it is, revolves around a power hungry politician attempting to sell off the Jellystone National Park in order to turn the town’s financial deficit to a surplus. I must admit that this took on a rather unforeseen satirical edge in the light of the UK governments current efforts to sell off state owned woodland.

Unfortunately I suspect there will be no smarter-than-the-average-bears to save our own precious forests.

Look, this is not a good film by any stretch of the imagination. It’s shallow, predictable, and misses the comedy mark about twice as often as it hits it. But all that aside, it’s not half as bad as I anticipated it would be. I certainly don’t think it deserves it’s 14% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. A 40% would be far more fair.

One performance that did stand out was that of the mayor, played by Andrew Daly. His running gag with the electric windows of his car made me genuinely giggle. He’s best known apparently for playing Principal Terrence Cutler in Eastbound and Down. I really must check out that show.

All in all Yogi Bear is not one of those films that you’re going to want to see if you haven’t got children. There’s nothing in here that elevates it from matinee status. But it is a movie that will give you the occasional moment of entertainment if you find yourself there with the kids, and that’s better than nothing.

Plus it’s got a 5 minute short cartoon before the main feature, which is both cool and nostalgic. Of course the cartoon is shit (it’s a unfunny CGI travesty of Roadrunner and Wile E Coyote), but I appreciate the sentiment.

I saw this movie in 2D and, after seeing it, can’t think of a single reason why you’d benefit from forking out the extra cash to see it in 3D. Just say no.