Keri Russell stars in a scene from the movie "Cocaine Bear." The OSV News classification is O -- morally offensive. (OSV News photo/Pat Redmond, Universal)

By OSV News

After a crazed drug dealer (Matthew Rhys) throws his cargo of the titular narcotic out of an airplane while flying over a national forest, a portion of it is eaten by a black bear who then threatens the lives of a nurse (Keri Russell), her daughter (Brooklynn Prince), the schoolmate with whom the girl is playing hooky (Christian Convery-Jennings), a park ranger (Margo Martindale), the crime boss (Ray Liotta) who will be in a jam if the lost hoard isn’t recovered, his son (Alden Ehrenreich) and one of his minions (O’Shea Jackson Jr.).

Director Elizabeth Banks’ loosely fact-based dark comedy starts out as an amusing ensemble piece about eccentric characters brought into contact by bizarre circumstances. But its potential is squandered amid sickening scenes of the predator’s bloodsoaked rampage, images intended as shock gross-out humor.

Excessive gory violence, including extremely gruesome scenes of death and dismemberment, underage drug use, several instances of profanity, about a half-dozen milder oaths, pervasive rough language, much crude talk, an obscene gesture. The OSV News classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

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