'We Bare Bears: The Movie' Is Effectively Rewarding for Fans

Modern made-for-children animated TV series rarely get my interest – especially the younger their target audience are.  However, there was something about We Bare Bears that drew me to it.  It only took one look at an artwork of the characters to attract me.  Apparently, a cartoon grizzly bear, a panda, and a polar bear were just too adorable for me to ignore.  I was compelled to go check out their show.  Hence, while I wasn’t necessarily a regular, avid viewer of We Bare Bears during its four-season run (which ended last year), I have occasionally watched a couple of its episodes as well as tons of highlight clips.  And I found it to be a genuinely hilarious and winsome kids’ show.

Thus, when I learned that there’s a movie of it, I of course had to watch it.  Especially since it’s meant to serve as the finale of the original animated series.

We Bare Bears: The Movie sees our beloved trio of Grizz, Panda, and Ice Bear going against Agent Trout, a nature preservationist with the resources and persona of a nefarious government spook.  After the citizens of San Francisco finally had enough of the mischievous, happy-go-lucky bears’ tomfoolery, Trout steps in and offers to take them into custody, separate them, and exile each one to their natural habitats.  Thus, to avoid this fate, the trio decides to make their way to Canada and start a new life there, while Trout and his stooges are hot on their trails.

It’s exactly the charming romp as one would expect a We Bare Bears movie would be.   Just like the show, the movie has droll and riotous gags, amusing pop culture references (there’s a fantastic Mystery Machine cameo), over-the-top cartoon action (it will reinforce the notion that Ice Bear can give Batman a run for his money), and calculated heartwarming spots.  But these are elevated in a way that makes the whole thing feel like a true finale – it has that “special” factor.

To sum it up, while it’s possible for first-time viewers to be endeared by We Bare Bears: The Movie, it’s certainly most effectively rewarding to those who already like the cartoon.  For it succeeds in giving the main We Bare Bears series a pleasing and satisfying sense of culmination.