Fantastica: A Boonie Bears Adventure
By Tom Cassidy,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Empathetic animated adventure has some threat, violence.
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Fantastica: A Boonie Bears Adventure
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What's the Story?
In FANTASTICA: A BOONIE BEARS ADVENTURE, bears Briar (voiced by Mario Lopez) and Bramble (Josh Peck) set off with their friends on an adventure to find a mystical artifact. Unfortunately they're not the only ones who want to get their hands on the valuable piece with the pair soon pursued by some powerful villains.
Is It Any Good?
The first half of this fourth spin-off feature film from the popular Chinese TV series feels like a run of the mill budget animation. But at the midway point, Fantastica: A Boonie Bears Adventure kicks up a gear and becomes an exciting adventure with effective emotional moments. When the movie begins, it follows a template seemingly set by a creative team more influenced by video games than cinema. The various characters have a puzzle to solve, then an encounter, before they're whisked to the next magical land. But this formula eventually makes way for a film that gives its villains backstories and with an emphasis on character development.
We learn about how Boss became a cold-hearted, bitter baddie, while Logger Vick's story of feeling dissatisfied with his life, before learning he's actually got lots to be thankful for, gives a real emotional impact. The same can be said for cute robot Coco. When she sacrifices herself to save the world, it's genuinely moving, setting up the fist-pumping ending when she (spoiler) comes back to rejoin the gang. As a gateway to fantasy adventure movies, Boonie Bears fans couldn't ask for more.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the amount of peril and action violence in Fantastica: A Boonie Bears Adventure. How did it compare to the TV show and other movies in the Boonie Bears series? Did the fantasy element affect its impact? If so, how?
What role did nature play in the movie? Do you know any interesting facts about the wildlife where you live? Why is it important that we look after nature and the environment?
Logger Vick steals in the hope he can improve his life but then learns he's already having good fun with his friends. What things in your life do you enjoy?
The movie explained a little about why Boss' childhood led him to behave the way he did. Did it make him more sympathetic? What other film's have you seen where the villains have been given a backstory?
Movie Details
- In theaters: June 14, 2019
- On DVD or streaming: July 4, 2019
- Cast: Mario Lopez , Josh Peck , Hanna Allsaar
- Director: Leon Ding
- Inclusion Information: Latino actors
- Studio: Viva Pictures
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Adventures , Friendship , Robots
- Character Strengths: Courage , Empathy , Teamwork
- Run time: 89 minutes
- MPAA rating: G
- Last updated: April 5, 2023
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