The one problem with this movie is that there was not enough time spent to get the audience to believe in the main characters at the start of the film. The Country Bears is basically a combination of two movies: THE MUPPET MOVIE and THE BLUES BROTHERS. Like The Muppet Movie, the audience SHOULD have been introduced to the Bears in their natural habitat perhaps in an entirely Bear world with Bear audiences, Bear storekeepers, Bear families, and Bearhound buses to help make the puppets seem real. Once the audience believes in this fantasy world (think The Flintstones), have them venture out like Kermit from his pond to meet humans. Instead, we are thrust head-on into a world where a few bears live with people with all but one kid seeing that they are actually bears. The first scene is of the all-bear band playing for a stadium filled with screaming human teens. I couldn't help think why were they attending a Barney-type concert? Why were they watching grown men prance around in kiddie costumes? Only humans were in the audience so apparently this was not in a fantasy world where bears and humans co-exist. Also, the music, which was nice, wasn't something that would have brought this audience to it's feet. It was really difficult believing they were real bears at this point since we were not introduced to their fantasy world. Were talking bears common or were they unique and therefore that's why they were a big draw? The next scene is of a young bear who lives with a human family (think of the dynamics of the little mouse STUART LITTLE who lived with a human family). Dressed in an open short-sleeved shirt and jeans he looks a lot like Michael J. Fox in TEEN WOLF. At least that film took it's time to introduce the story. Like the Muppet Movie (and it's best sequel, A MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL), The Country Bears tries to be hip balancing act between entertaining kids as well as adults. The film does a pretty good job of doing this but it seems an uphill battle. Since the audience is never given a chance to see the bears as more than merely guys in costumes the jokes require blocking out all the damage the first fifteen minutes of the film has brought. The first ten minutes of a film is crucial and here it is a death march. The rest of the film is basically a re-working of THE BLUES BROTHERS as we visit one small country town after another trying to gather up the band for a big reunion concert which will save the day. We get great music and great musical cameos to make this a long form music video more than a film (which is the nature of this genre and not a bad thing). These bits are entertaining for the music but the presence of men in large bear costumes does make it difficult. Kids under six won't mind, but if they were the only target, why the attempt at hip jokes, cameos only adults would know, etc... A better beginning would have made a better film. Perhaps on repeat viewings it wouldn't be so bad. Then again, there isn't enough here to get most adults to watch it again. If you want to see good country concert footage watch CMT or buy your favorite artist on video. If your kids like Barney they will like this film too.
Review of The Country Bears
