Boonie Bears to the Rescue (Chinese: 熊出没之夺宝熊兵) is a 2014 Chinese animated adventure comedy film based on the animated television series Boonie Bears. It centers around Vick, Briar and Bramble's lives being intertwined with the fate of orphaned toddler Lola. A second film, Boonie Bears: Mystical Winter, was released one year later in 2015.
Contents
Plot
On a stormy Night, thugs Maurice and Arnold crash their car in a tree when monkey lord, Tiki and his servant, Babu forced them to swerve off the road on the mountain, and a yellow suitcase slides out of the wreck. Meanwhile, logger Vick put his new lumbering tools to test, spooking the Bear Brothers - Briar and Bramble - into pursuit, and successfully steal the tool crate from Vick. Maurice and Arnold scramble to recover the case, but are steamrolled by the bears who confuse them with Vick. With his tools destroyed by the bears as well, Vick ends up taking the other suitcase before savagely beating the criminals, believing they are the bears. Vick and the bears then return to their respective homes.
On the next day, Vick discovers that a baby girl in a bear suit was inside instead of his tools. Noticing she was kidnapped from a police alert on TV, he set off to find the authorities and return her. The baby's interference causes Vick's pickup to behave erratically, alerting a police officer and getting his truck stuck. After freeing his truck with a scarecrow and securing her with tape, he was mistaken as the culprit by the officer pursuing him. Attempting to explain his circumstances and cut off the tape, the baby bites Vick, causing him to inadvertently launches his knife into the officer who thinks Vick is a murderer. Now a wanted criminal, Vick barely escapes pursuit in his slightly crippled truck.
Enraged by the trouble, she warranted, Vick seals his house and angrily scolds her for trashing his place. Instead of silencing the baby, her cries penetrate the entire forest. He later successfully pacifies her with a water gun, and learns her nickname "Lola" while washing her suit. Gradually, he becomes a fatherly figure to her. On a bicycle, Vick sets off to procure supplies for Lola when they are running short, only to be arrested by the officer. Maurice and Arnold happen to be illegally attaching missing person posters nearby in an effort to find Lola. Stopping to warn them, the officer is knocked out by the duo and they steal his patrol car. In the ensuing scuffle, Vick sneaks away undetected.
Suspecting Vick in possession of threatening gizmos, Briar invades Vick's house with Bramble, but the mission goes off-course when Bramble insists on acquiring food instead. While they empty Vick's stash, Lola almost reveals herself to Briar, who was jump-scared several times, unable to determine the cause nor convince Bramble. Lola sneaks into Bramble's bag and the brothers depart. At their cave, after Bramble almost mistakes her for an apple, the bears were confused and terrified by her appearance, having almost zero contact with humans other than Vick. They warm up to each other quickly and begin to hang out.
Characters
Vick
A failing lumberjack, Vick was pressured constantly by work but also pestered by local fauna hostile to his efforts. He strives to survive but often makes little progress.
Lola
An orphaned, innocent, mute and illiterate toddler adopted by a kind old man.
Briar
The brains of the bear brothers and protector of the forest. The benevolent Briar leads a peaceful life with his brother, displaying force when his loved ones come under threat.
Bramble
The brawn of the bear brothers. Though dim-witted and gluttonous, Bramble terrorizes his foes with brute force and works with his older brother in their endeavors.
Tiki
A self-proclaimed ruler of the forest barely recognized by other creatures.
Babu
Tiki's loyal monkey servant.
Ted Marshall Sr
The benevolent deceased father of the current CEO. Implied to seek wealth as much as his son in the past, Lola renewed his perspective and brought benevolence back to him yet again.
Ted Marshall Jr
The CEO of his corporation and son of his predecessor. Bonding well with his father in the past, their relations deteriorated in the pursuit of fortune. He is bent on retaking his lost fortune with the help of Maurice and Arnold, of which he believed belongs to him rightfully.
Policeman
A recurring officer who comically and ironically fails at his job.
Arnold
Maurice' brutish and menacing sidekick that often unsuccessfully helps Maurice.
Maurice
A cunning gangster roaming with Arnold as henchmen for hire.
Box office
The film had grossed RMB 103 million (US$17 million) at the Chinese box office three days after being released. It had the highest-grossing opening weekend for a Chinese animated film and the third highest-grossing opening day for any animated film at the Chinese box office. More than a week after being released, it had grossed CN¥183 million (US$30.3 million). It is the highest grossing Chinese animated film in the country, beating the record previously held by Mission Incredible: Adventures on the Dragon's Trail.
English dub
Rick Jay Glen as Briar / Ted Marshall Jr. / Ted Marshall Sr. / Arnold / Babu / Vick's Father / additional voices
Justin J. Wheeler as Bramble / Policeman / additional voices
Paul "Maxx" Rinehart as Logger Vick / Tiki / Mr. Lee
Toni Thompson as Maurice / Vick's Mom / additional voices
Siobhan Lumsden as additional voices