While not quite as good as Rugged Bear or In the Bag, Hooked Bear is still an excellent short that contains much fun and pleasure. The animation is nowhere near as rich or detailed as in Rugged Bear or In the Bag, while never terrible standard(credit is due for the work done on Humphrey's exaggerated facial expressions and body movements) limited budgeting- that was showing by the late 50s/early 60s- does seem evident here. That said, the music is beautiful to listen to and has much lively energy, complete with a title tune that is recognisable and easy to remember. Hooked Bear also has a charming and warmly told if slightly routine story and crisp pacing going for it, as well as that the humour is genuinely funny and endearing, the fish eggs sprouting into plants and the rainbow trout gags being the best ones. The same can also be said about the characters, Ranger Woodlore is a very amusing character and very distinctively voiced by Bill Thompson and the bears all have personalities that are interesting, even their facial expressions delight. But it is Humphrey who steals the show, a silent character who is both adorable and hilarious but sadly he's one of Disney's most unjustly underrated characters, a shame really because he is a great example of silent characters being just as effective as those who do speak. The things he does are very silly but also induce a great deal of laughs for the audience, Humphrey for all the mistakes he makes is wholly likable and really it is how he reacts to his situations and his interaction with Woodlore that makes his shorts as entertaining as they are. Overall, not Humphrey's best short but still an excellent one. 9/10 Bethany Cox
Review of Hooked Bear
