Though the argument will be that this film is not marketed to someone like me, I think you can be of age and still think “Yogi Bear” is an assault on the senses. In fact I think it tends to border on noise pollution with a slew of stars whom are much more talented than the film would dictate. Particularly Tom Cavanaugh who looks like he has the life beaten out of him playing the toned down more Duder version of Ranger Smith.
Yogi and Booboo are about as creepy looking as the CGI would allow with large beaming eyes and gruff exteriors that do nothing to lend to their child appeal. In spite of the sharp voice performances from Dan Akroyd and Justin Timberlake, there’s no excusing the hackneyed old hat plot about Jelly Stone that falls under the mercy of… wait for it. Wait for it. Evil industrialists! Yes, this is an environmental concern for Yogi and Booboo who aren’t so much at odds with Ranger Smith as they are roomies in the wide scope of this wood land. Speaking of wooden Tom Cavanagh is given the important role of the enemy to Yogi and Booboo and does literally nothing with the role except spew dialogue and feign interest in the mayhem that ensues around him in this environment.
How did Yogi and Booboo come about and why isn’t he impressed anymore? Are they stalwarts from cartoon land like Roger Rabbit? Are they mongoloid amalgamations of beastiality or just an anomaly of nature? Where did their need for human food come from? Nevertheless, “Yogi Bear” is a loud and unfunny movie and one that lacks the life and child like enthusiasm that made the cartoons so popular. It’s bereft of originality or depth and fails to be even remotely watchable as an all out attack on the eyes and ears. Especially the ears, I had the film on low and I was still left with a migraine by the end of the film.