Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie R. Wheadon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sharing lesson, plus a few scares for the Bears.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
In two GRIZZLE-LY ADVENTURES -- "Broken" and "Emma's Dilemma" -- viewers set foot inside the cranky, bizarre-looking Grizzle's lair on another cloud within sight of Care-A-Lot. He always seems to be plotting something sinister. In "Broken," he's asked to fix his old robot pal Wingnut and fits him with an evil switch on the sly. When it turns on, watch out, Care Bears! In "Emma's Dilemma" Grizzle steals the Care Bears' prized possessions in hopes that he can find out how to "crush their specialness." Enter the Care Bears' secret weapon, Emma, who not only helps them find their things but saves them from Grizzle's cages as well.
Is It Any Good?
Naive, happy-smiley pastel bears with some power-filled tummy tattoos are out-there enough; in this somewhat unsettling entry, we've got bad-guy Grizzle. He basically looks like Teddy Ruxpin crossed with an overweight, rusting Transformer. And he cackles out his evil plans to a miniature robot who only responds by falling apart; its the same Gargamel/Azrael shtick, only weirder.
If you can get beyond that, the underlying messages that the Bears espouse on their TV show are still the same. There's a peppy sharing song, and Share Bear learns a lesson about sharing -- yes, sharing is even hard for her. They stick by their robot friend Wingnut, even when he does some bad things. And the Bears work together with their new friend Emma to escape Grizzle's clutches. Plus, the two-episode format is better for the attention span of the target age group.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about caring, sharing, and all the Care Bears like to stand for. What's the secret at the end of "Emma's Dilemma" that makes them all special? If you had a CBT (Care Bear Transporter), where would you beam yourself to? Which Belly Badge would you like to wear on your tummy?
Movie Details
- In theaters : February 1, 2008
- On DVD or streaming : February 5, 2008
- Cast : Ashleigh Ball , Ian James Corlett , Tracey Moore
- Director : Amy Wolfram
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Run time : 45 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 19, 2019
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