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Can 'Yogi Bear' really be as bad as it looks?

Will the forthcoming 'Yogi Bear' film ring box office tills in the same way 'Alvin and the Chipmunks' did? We preview the trailer to find out

Beware the trailer that delivers no plot details! Especially when those plot details concern the actions of a wisecracking, pork-pie hat-wearing bear. Obviously, the forthcoming ‘Yogi Bear’ movie has been precision marketed to a specific, knee-high punter, but judging by the brainless trailer that’s been recently released online, its creators didn’t get the memo that says ‘children are not idiots’.

Extracting what scant plot details the trailer delivers, ‘Yogi Bear’ promises us the story of a crooked mayor determined to make a quick buck out of the now decrepit Jellystone Park by transforming it into a logging plant. But of course Yogi (voiced by Dan Aykroyd), Boo Boo (voiced by Justin Timberlake), a wildlife filmmaker (Anna Faris) and Ranger Smith (Tom Cavanagh) have other plans, and set out to prove the mayor’s corruption by finding an endangered turtle whose residence in Jellystone would allow it to be reclassified as a nature reserve.

The original ‘Yogi Bear’ cartoons were lively creations that, while living short in the memory, did manage to turn their title character into something of an icon for those of a certain generation. Yet, this trailer leads us to believe that the film may well be a nonsensical catalogue of clichés and flat, hackneyed jokes that cling to the pre-existing fame of its titular bear.

The largely horrified reaction to the trailer within the YouTube comments section might indicate that much of the cinema-going public have tired of spirited critters in live action-CGI hybrids, but judging by the success of the recent ‘Alvin and the Chipmunks’ films, it would come as no surprise if this worked the same wonders in Hoovering up the same, adoring pre-teen audience. And then we can all set our clocks for ‘Yogi Bear 2’. Joy!



Author: Bethany Rutter



User comments on this story

  • donkeyfish said...
    I was actually quoting the first poster Mr Anon, hence the use of inverted commas around the statement.
    I assure you that if I don't like something I'll make as big a noise about it as the next man. Posted on Aug 08 2010 17:34
    Report as inappropriate
  • A. Figueroa said...
    Donkeyfish your "'If you don't like something keep your mouth shut" could be applied to the feelings you have for my opinion, hence, you know what to do next. Anyway, to have good judgement and choosing carefully what my toddlers watch instead of accepting any mainstream crap coming from the USA, is my criteria; I'm really sorry we disagree, especially for the waste of time your children would endure.
    anon said "when people speak badly they tend to get a good thing cancelled..." Sadly, that's SO NOT TRUE. There had been and there will be bad and atrocious movies, like this one, and ALWAYS will be, you'll see.
    I would never boast of watching movies like these one, people might think that you actually CAN enjoy them! Posted on Aug 08 2010 12:38
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  • Kayleia said...
    This article says what everyone is thinking! However, Alvin & the Chipmunks are my guilty pleasures... Posted on Aug 08 2010 11:54
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  • Donkeyfish said...
    'If you don't like something keep your mouth shut' - and at a stroke the whole culture of film/book/theatre (et al) critisism is swept into the sea never to return... Posted on Aug 08 2010 05:39
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  • A. Figueroa said...
    Children -not even toddlers- are not idiots, nor are their parents or relatives. I won't get any child to watch this movie, or get the DVD for them, the trailer's ludicrous and makes you cringe. I'm fond of the cartoon, but some cartoons don't translate well into films, especially if they render only some characters on CGI, which makes completely unbelievable the whole thing... Err, exactly the kind of thing that only small children would tolerate? It makes you think how those executives at Hollywood can earn their beans: they're catering for the USA market, of course. Avoid. Posted on Aug 07 2010 05:55
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  • Cobra1469 said...
    This trailer is fine, there's nothing wrong with it and I like that it doesn't give away the plot. Kids just want to laugh, the author or the article needs to chill on the negativity, No one is expecting Yogi Bear win an Oscar, chill already. Posted on Aug 06 2010 17:33
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  • anon said...
    when i said yogi bear movie i meant cartoon Posted on Aug 05 2010 23:41
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  • anon said...
    its not a matter of children being idiots or not. its just a movie that some people (like me) may like. i'm not an idiot. i know about the yogi bear movie. i think it was a good trailer. but when people speak badly they tend to get a good thing canceled. i feel if you don't have anything nice to say then you should keep it to yourself. unless your only joking. and i was the first one to comment. i'm sorry for my previous statement i was just sick of people hating this movie when they haven't seen it. Posted on Aug 05 2010 23:40
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  • Dom said...
    Wonderfully sarky, especially agreed with your assessment that 'Children are not idiots.' Posted on Aug 05 2010 17:08
    Report as inappropriate
  • Claire said...
    haha, great article. Did give me a giggle! Posted on Aug 05 2010 11:19
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  • anon said...
    Did you have something nasty for breakfast, sourpuss? Posted on Aug 05 2010 10:35
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  • anon said...
    this trailer looks awesome. so shut your mouth and if you dont like something keep your mouth shut. Posted on Aug 04 2010 15:10
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