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Brother Bear Customer Reviews (40 - 42 of 67 Reviews)

Becoming a Man
The story takes place in an Indian Village many years ago. Keani attends a ceremony to receive his totem. The totem is a symbol of transition from boyhood to manhood. Keani's totem is a bear. He is told that the bear means love. Sidka is the oldest of the three brothers, and his totem is the eagle of guidance. Keani really isn't pleased with his totem.

After his brother, Sidka, is killed, he throws his totem to the ground. From that point forward his life is transformed. I found that the movie was a little sad but poignant at the end. The Brother Bear games are enjoyable.

Pleasant, but hardly one of Disney's best.
BROTHER BEAR may not achieve the "classic status" most of Disney's other films have received, but it's a definite improvement over last year's TREASURE PLANET. Produced by Disney's Orlando Animation unit, who made the wonderful MULAN in addition to LILO AND STITCH, one cannot help but expect good material. Those expectations are almost completely fulfilled. BROTHER BEAR is actually the weakest of the three Orlando productions; while it is indeed a beautiful, fun movie, it falls short of a classic. It ranks on the levels of a preivous Disney production, THE FOX AND THE HOUND -- well animated and enjoyable, but hardly worthy of "masterpiece" status.

The tale, set by a snowy mountain "where the lights touch", involves three Alaskan brothers -- Sitka, the eldest (voiced by D.B. Sweeney); Denahi, the tease (Jason Raize); and ultimately, impulsive and hot-tempered Kenai (Joaquin Phoenix). About ten minutes into the picture, Sitka dies in an avalanche in trying to protect his brothers from a bear, and Kenai, burning with immature rage, swears vengeance... and succeeds in killing the bear. In an amazingly animated sequence, Kenai is transformed into a bear himself, and pursued by the now battle-hardened Denahi (who believes he is dead). Kenai finds an unlikely ally in an orphaned bear cub, Koda (Jeremy Suarez), as he sets off for the glowing lights in order to regain his right to be human again. His relationship with Koda eventually melts the frost in his heart, and he learns that compassion is a very valuable force. (He also discovers, painfully, that the bear he killed was actually Koda's mother.)

Sure, the synopsis above doesn't sound inspiring, but it's told, for the most part, very well through gorgeous animation. When Kenai becomes a bear, the screen becomes wider as if to illustrate a bear's point of view -- a technically unique touch. Koda, in addition, is arguably the highlight of the show. Eager-to-please and earnest, this little chatterbox of a cub has the sort of fire to warm Kenai's frosty heart, and delivers some of the best lines in the film. Phil Collins once again lends his golden voice to the movie by contributing six songs, which are bouncy and pleasant to say the least if not memorable. Unfortunately, there are gripes I have about two numbers. The first, sung by Tina Turner, is a little weak; the second one which plays during a very crucial moment in the movie (the scene where Kenai informs Koda how his mother died) dampens what should have been a heartwrenching sequence. Employing chilling background music would probably have been a better choice. In fact, recent animated productions have proven how they can tell an effective story *without* relying on songs.

They've also proven that comic sidekicks are not always required. In this case, the two moose who make most of the comedy, Rutt and Tuke (Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis), feel both contrived in both the flow of the story and plot; their humor is, for the most part, good, but there's nothing we haven't already seen from these kind of comedians, and they could have been featured in a different story. Actually, after the first 20 minutes before Kenai becomes a bear, the movie has a lot of comic moments... and ends abruptly and unsatisfyingly, too. Although there are funny outtakes in the closing credits, I was left feeling cold, as if the movie had some brilliant ideas but couldn't come to grips with its resolution.

All in all, BROTHER BEAR *is* a decent, well-animated piece of family entertainment. It has a lot of high merits and interesting concepts. I liked the film, but I don't consider it one of Disney's best.

The DVD, by the way, features yet another good, solid transfer from the Mouse House and an interesting (although somewhat extraneous) amount of extras: the best of which is an alternate version of Kenai's confession to Koda (without the loudly-mixed, out-of-place Phil Collins song). This version, IMO, *should* have remained in the picture, as it packs more of an emotional punch than the final version ever did.

Disney Does It Again!
I borrowed this movie from a friend with kids and thought "Ah, what the heck?" I am so glad that I borrowed it and I'm off to buy my own copy.

Brother Bear is the coming of age story of three brothers. The youngest is supposed to find love before he can become a man...and learn the meaning of the word. He wants strength and honor, not love. In order to teach him a lesson the spirit of his older brother turns him into a bear. He sees things from a different perspective and learns to love. The characters in the movie are what make this predictable tale so great. Rick Moranis is the voice of one moose. It's almost like the moose came straight out of Strange Brew. Very funny!

Definitely watch this...even if you don't have kids.

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