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Generations of cartoon watchers have grown up with Hanna-Barbera’s iconic characters—from the Flintstones to Scooby-Doo and Shaggy to Yogi and Boo Boo. Thanks to DVD collections and the numerous cable channels that air cartoons, kids today can enjoy the same cartoons that their parents—and even their grandparents—once did. But even if they’ve missed The Yogi Bear Show, young moviegoers will still enjoy the characters—and the simple kiddie comedy—of Yogi Bear.
In this part-animated, part-live-action adventure, Dan Aykroyd and Justin Timberlake voice Yogi and Boo Boo, the lovably mischief-making, pic-a-nic basked-nabbing bears who call Jellystone Park home. They’ve become so famous that nature documentary filmmaker Rachel (Anna Faris) has come to the park to make a movie about them—much to the delight of awkward (and available) Ranger Smith (Tom Cavanagh).
But the project—and the park—are put in jeopardy when big-spending Mayor Brown (Andrew Daly) decides to close the park and sell its logging rights so he can pay off the city’s debt before he runs for governor.
When Ranger Smith’s plan to save his beloved park backfires, it’s up to Yogi to come up with a plan of his own (with some help from his little buddy, Boo Boo, of course). After all, he’s smarter than the average bear.
The story may not be surprising or suspenseful. The writing may not be as clever or sophisticated as anything you’ll find in a Pixar movie. But Yogi Bear is still harmless 3D fun for the little ones.
The film stays true to its ‘60s cartoon roots with its simple, innocent story. It’s pretty much a boilerplate kids’ comedy, but it’s not without its share of kid-friendly laughs—and there’s plenty of wacky action, too. But while many kids’ movies have terrifying monsters or other dangers that can give younger kids nightmares, the only real monster here is the naughty mayor (who sometimes manages to lead well-meaning characters astray). And although Yogi and Boo Boo get themselves into all kinds of precarious situations, it’s all done humorously enough that it doesn’t seem all that scary.
For the most part, though, it’s all about Yogi’s constant shenanigans—his basket-snatching plots and inventions, along with some general troublemaking (most of which shows that he might not be as smart as he thinks he is).
Meanwhile, the gimmicky 3D graphics keep things entertaining. If you can get your little moviegoers to keep their glasses on through the whole movie (which is often as challenging as getting them to sit still for 80 minutes), they’ll be treated to splashing water, flashing fireworks, and a whole bunch of other fun 3D effects.
Of course, Yogi Bear is so simple that older kids might quickly lose interest. But, for their little brothers and sisters (and even for their Yogi-loving parents), it’s innocuous family fun.
Blu-ray Review:
It may not have the same eye-popping 3D action as the theatrical version, but the Yogi Bear Blu-ray release offers plenty of silly behind-the-scenes extras—presented in short, kid-friendly segments.
Most of the extras are found in a feature called Spending a Day at Jellystone Park. This interactive map allows you to visit five different parts of the park, where you’ll find all kinds of making-of extras (and other fun stuff). At Jellystone Lake, for instance, you can find a super-silly music video for “Sickness Was Love,” Ranger Smith’s song for Rachel. Or, at Lookout Mountain, you can learn about the voicing of Yogi and Boo Boo. The best part of the park, though, is the Ranger Station. There, you can meet the living, breathing Yogi and Boo Boo stand-ins, Jimmy and Frasier (and hear the bears’ lines spoken with New Zealand accents)—and you can watch T. J. Miller’s hilarious audition with a real bear. But all of the features included on the Jellystone map are short and (mostly) entertaining—and they offer quick insights into the filmmaking process (or just a little bit of silly fun) without putting a strain on young viewers’ attention spans.
Other extras include the Yogi Bear Mashup (with cast interviews and clips of both the movie and the original cartoon to show similarities between the two) and a new Road Runner cartoon called “Rabid Rider.” There’s also a fun memory game, called Are You Smarter Than the Average Bear?
Just like the movie itself, the Yogi Bear Blu-ray extras provide plenty of harmless family fun for both young kids and Yogi’s grown-up fans. So, after you finish watching the movie, be sure to pay the special features menu a visit, too.
