We Bare Bears: The Movie

We Bare Bears: The Movie is an American animated comedy film based on the Cartoon Network television series of the same name. Produced by Cartoon Network Studios, it was released in North American digital theater platforms by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on June 30, 2020. Directed by series creator Daniel Chong from a story by Mikey Heller and Kris Mukai, We Bare Bears: The Movie stars the voices of series regulars Eric Edelstein, Bobby Moynihan and Demetri Martin as the three titular bears Grizz, Panda, and Ice Bear; joined by Marc Evan Jackson as Agent Trout and Keith Ferguson as Officer Murphy. With the series ending in 2019, the film serves as the conclusion of the We Bare Bears story.

In their desire to be accepted into the community, the three bear brothers Grizz, Panda, and Ice Bear unwittingly wreak havoc throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, igniting a mob of complaints from its residents. Seeking to remove them from the society, wildlife control agent Trout relentlessly pursues to separate the brothers, who in turn escape from the Bay Area and seek refuge to Canada. Along the way, the Bears endure hardships while staying true to their promise of being "bros for life". The film, an allegory for what it feels like to be a minority in America, explores themes of acceptance, family separation, and racial discrimination, which were darker than the lighthearted but similar themes explored within the television series that Chong, a member of the Asian American minority, had drew upon.

Upon its release, We Bare Bears: The Movie has received a positive response from film critics, who praised the film's relevant presentation its themes. Following the conclusion of the series and the film, a spin-off television series featuring the Bears as cubs has been in development since June 2019. The film will have its television premiere on Cartoon Network on September 7, 2020.

## Plot

Grizz, a nomadic bear cub, meets fellow cub Panda for the first time along the train tracks. Stuck as a train rapidly approaches, they are saved by a polar bear cub and the three form a stack as they attempt to outrun it. Upon awakening from this nightmare, a now adult Grizz drags his brothers Panda and Ice Bear and the three rush out to be the first in line for the opening of a Canadian poutine food truck on the San Francisco Bay Area, unwittingly wreaking havoc along their way which incites a barrage of complaints from its residents. Envious of the admiration the newly arrived celebrity koala Nom Nom receives from the public and the hate the Bears receive from them, the three devise a plan to record the "ultimate viral video" using outdated memes and force stream it into every screen in the city, which causes a massive blackout.

The Bears are summoned to the City Hall to explain themselves. Despite the public's demands for their accountability, police officer Murphy refuses to endorse severe punishment, until Wildlife Control Agent Trout takes over and convinces the assembly to detain the Bears and relocate them to a wildlife preserve. As the Bears' friends appeal for their release, Charlie the Bigfoot and his animal friends hijack a police vehicle and break the Bears out to the forest. With the bears now homeless and pursued, Grizz proposes for them to seek refuge to Canada, despite Panda's reluctance. Disguising the vehicle in hippie graffiti, they barely manage to slip out from Trout's blockade, but crash the van in the process. They stumble upon the "Dramatic Cow, "an famous talking cow who invites them to a party with various celebrity animals that mistake them for being internet famous. Despite their initial objections, the animals are persuaded by the Bears to spend the night with them, some of whom fix their van. Grizz, frequently haunted by the nightmare of the cubs' train encounter, awakes to find out that Trout has tracked them. The animals try to stall the agents as the Bears flee on the van.

As they reach the Canadian border, the Bears are refused entry by the guard for not carrying passports. Angry and frustrated, the Bears argue with each other just as Trout and his men arrive to capture them. Despite Murphy's apprehensive plea, Panda and Ice Bear are locked in cages to be deported to China and the Arctic, respectively; while Grizz is sent to a preserve center with other captured non-speaking grizzlies. Feeling distraught and helpless, Grizz is convinced by his younger self to escape by reminding him of the promise he made to his brothers after their initial meeting—that they will always be "bros for life". This empowers him to break free of his enclosure and release the other captive bears, who aid him in liberating Panda and Ice Bear from Trout.

The preserve's electrified fence ignites a forest fire, trapping all of them inside. Murphy arrives with a helicopter to save them, but is prevented by the smoke and flames from reaching down. The brothers induce the other bears to form a tall stack to reach it up, but are taken advantaged of by Trout. Murphy shoves a donut in Trout's mouth, knocks him out, and latches the stack up into safety. With their escape from the fire being broadcast by the news, the Bears are celebrated by the public as heroes, while Trout is taken into custody. Murphy ensures that the brothers will be safely returned home, taking all the other bears with them. Upon arriving back to the city, the Bears are jubilantly received by their friends and are warmly welcomed by the community, who now begin to acclimate themselves with the rest of the bears in various activities.

## Characters

* Panda Bear

Voice by Bobby Moynihan (English); Mitsuhiro Ichiki (Japanese)

* Grizzly Bear

Voice by Eric Edelstein (English); Susumu Chiba (Japanese)

* Ice Bear

Voice by Demitri Martin (English); Junichi Suwabe (Japanese)

* Chloe Park

Voice by Charlyne Yi (English); Taeko Kawata (Japanese)

* Agent Trout

Voice by Marc Evan Jackson (English); Kenji Nomura (Japanese)