Movie Info
Movie Name: Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation
Studio: Nelvana Limited
Genre(s): Animated/Family
Release Date(s): March 7, 1986
MPAA Rating: G
Hey kids when you’re cool like us, you’ll really shine!!!
The story of the Care Bear’s origin is revealed as the Care Bears and the Cousins face one of their greatest threats. The founding of Care-a-Lot and the Forest of Feelings are established by Noble Heart Horse and True Heart Bear as a means for care to spread from the Kingdom of Caring to those in need. When a group of kids at a summer camp are threatened by Dark Heart in the form a fellow camper, the Care Bears must stop him from corrupting a camper named Christy before it is too late.
Directed by Dale Schott, Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation was a follow-up to the popular Care Bears Movie in 1986. The movie was met with mostly negative reviews and didn’t live up to the box office draw of the original film.
Nothing terrifying about Dark Heart…
I have to say that I enjoyed the Care Bears Movie II more than the original Care Bears Movie. It wasn’t because it was good (like the first movie it is extremely sugary sweet), but it seemed to have a bit more focus with the plot. Despite the focused plot, the movie is pretty flat.
The movie is a bit of a prequel and a bit of a sequel. In the first movie, the Care Bear Cousins are first introduced. Here we see how the Kingdom of Caring was founded and how the cousin were shipped off to live in the Forest of Feelings. Plot wise, this doesn’t make much sense because that indicates that the first attack of Dark Heart happened in the summer, the Bears and Cousins grew-up and then dealt with Dark Heart and his corruption of Christy. It also all just feels like a big cartoon episode.
True Heart Bear turns to the audience for a Caring Pledge Drive if you want to see the rest of the movie
The movie is very religious with Dark Heart essentially representing the devil. Christy succumbs to his evil plots and greed of success, and the Care Bears rescue her (and in turn Dark Heart who helps to save her when she’s mortally wounded). This leads to one of the most laughable parts of the film when True Heart Bear makes an appeal to the audience to care for Christy and save her like people clapping for Tinker Bell in Peter Pan.
Care Bear Movie II: The New Generation will be liked by little kids but it is overly sweet and preachy. I liked that there was more of a plot that is able to keep the story a bit more interesting, and it could be fun for fans of ’80s films. The Care Bears returned in The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland in 1987.
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