It's uh... it's very...
...
I'm sorry, what was I saying?
Oh yeah, bears. Okay, so we've got this kid, Mark, who goes to live with his uncle, Jack, while his parents are off doing some doctoring in a jungle somewhere. Jack is a forest ranger. Lately, one of the locals, Fog Benson, has had some problems with his sheep -- something's been eating them. He suspects a bear to be the culprit, and so a hunt begins... illegally, of course.
Meanwhile, Mark makes a new friend, Ashley, who happens to be Fog's daughter. One day, Mark and Ashley take a hike in the woods, and they come across an old mine. There's some kind of big hole nearby, and whoopsedaisy, there's a bear inside. A great big fuzzy bear. They know this is the bear everyone's hunting for, but they also know that this bear has not been killing those sheep -- how could he? He's in the pit for several days before Mark devises a way to rescue him, and in the meantime, sheep die.
I should stop right here and mention that if you don't like animal violence in movies, not to worry. All the violence is implied... instead of showing anything gruesome, all they do is play ominous music and then do a quick, shaky zoom-in on the doomed animal. Though if I have nightmares about sheep tonight, I'll know why.
While the bear is in the pit, Mark feeds it and talks to it. When the bear gets free, instead of mauling the life out of widdle Mark, the bear does tricks and acts adorable. Now Mark and Bear are friends. But Mark knows the bear is in danger -- not only is Ashley's father still gunning for him, but there are two poachers in the area.
If all this isn't enough stress for Mark, he gets the news that his parents are lost in a jungle somewhere and may be dead. Jack wrestles with the decision to keep Mark -- should Mark's parents be deceased. Mark never seems too sad about his parents' evident demise, all the while maintaining his city boy attitude of "I don't need anyone!" Oh, but doesn't he? Does he need -- perhaps -- a bear?
The climax of the movie involves Mark and Ashley trying to lead the bear to safety (a place called Grizzly Valley) while being pursued by the poachers and Fog Benson. The poachers, meanwhile, are being pursued by Jack. It's a no-brainer who'll win this one -- or so you think. In the end, it is the bear who kicks ass -- but gently, of course -- and everyone wins. Except the poachers. Dean Cain makes sure of that. <3
Sadly, we never find out if Mark's parents are alive... but I guess that's why there's a sequel. I'm eager to find out if Jack's going to get together with the storekeeper lady and if Mark's parents will be found and if that bear will continue to be adorable and cute or if he will turn on them and eat them in an exciting adventure called Gentle Ben 2: Not So Gentle Anymore!
Kidding.
Cute movie... even if a bit unrealistic. Two paws up!
7/30/2006
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