Disappointing follow-up to "Tangled"? The Plot is UnBEARable

Rating: 7/10 (7 December 2012)

"Tangled" was so good we couldn't wait to see what Pixar would do next. Plot is important. All the elements are there: The rebellious princess. The wise mother. Magic and witches. But somehow it doesn't quite add up. The "animation" seems stiffer than in "Tangled". It's just not as funny. Angus the horse has more personality and brains than most of the humans in this story. The women seem better "drawn" than the men; who appear sub-human and doltish. The scenery and backgrounds are breathtaking, but this doesn't make up for the plot twist of turning humans into bears. It seems to be a bit "off" even for Pixar. The best "characters" with the best humor are the witch and her talking crow. The ending doesn't work. I doubt if the little girls in the audience even know what "marrying for love" means. It's a bit too adult for such a frivolous film and doesn't quite fit.
I bet most people didn't see the "surprise" after the credits (which are 7 minutes long). The crow delivers the enchanted woodcarvings to the castle! Not as bad as other computer-rendered "sequels" of late, but it doesn't meet the test of ownership: I did not feel compelled to see it again or add it to my video collection. A good rental as long as your kids won't mind seeing the "villainous" enchanted bear (not the "good" momma bear) flattened by a tree.
If the plot seems somewhat familiar, Disney made another animated film in 2003: "Brother Bear" where a human is turned into a bear. It didn't do too well at the box office either.