Brother Bear
Tags: revenge, satire

Plot synopsis:
The film is set in a post-ice age North America, where the local tribesmen believe all creatures are created through the Spirits, who are said to appear in the form of an aurora. Three brothers (Kenai, the youngest brother; Denahi, the middle brother; and Sitka, the eldest brother) return to their tribe in order for Kenai to receive his totem, a necklace in the shape of an animal. The particular animal it represents symbolizes what he must achieve to call himself a man. Unlike Sitka, who gained the eagle of guidance, and Denahi, who gained the wolf of wisdom, Kenai receives the bear of love. He objects to this, stating that bears are thieves, and believes his point is made a fact when a bear takes some salmon. Kenai and his brothers pursue the bear, but a fight follows on a glacier, during which Sitka gives his life to save his brothers, although the bear survives. Angered, Kenai heads out to avenge Sitka. He chases the bear up onto a mountain and kills it. The Spirits, represented by Sitka's spirit in the form of a bald eagle, transform Kenai into a bear after the dead bear's body evaporates. Denahi arrives, mistaking Kenai as dead, and believing his bear form is responsible, vows to avenge Kenai by hunting it down.
Kenai falls down some rapids, survives, and is healed by Tanana, the shaman of Kenai's tribe. She does not speak the bear language, but advises him to return to the mountain to find Sitka and be turned back to normal, but only when he amends his mistake; she disappears without an explanation. Kenai quickly discovers the wildlife can talk, meeting two brother moose, Rutt and Tuke. He gets caught in a trap, but is freed by an outgoing bear cub named Koda. They make a deal: Kenai will go with Koda to a nearby salmon run and then the cub will lead Kenai to the mountain. As the two eventually form a sibling-like attachment, Koda reveals that his mother is missing. The two are hunted by Denahi, who is still determined to avenge Kenai, unaware that the bear he is pursuing is actually Kenai. Eventually, Kenai and Koda reach the salmon run, where a large number of bears live as a family, including the leader Tug, a grizzly bear. Kenai adjusts to his surroundings and is happy living with the other bears. During a discussion among the bears, Koda tells a story about his mother fighting human hunters, making Kenai realize that the bear he killed was Koda's mother.
Shocked and horrified, Kenai runs away, but Koda soon finds him. Kenai reveals the truth to Koda, who runs away, grief-stricken. An apologetic Kenai leaves to reach the mountain. Rutt and Tuke, having had a falling out, reform their brotherhood in front of Koda, prompting him to go after Kenai. Denahi confronts Kenai on the mountain, but their fight is interrupted by Koda, who steals Denahi's hunting pike. Kenai goes to Koda's aid out of love, prompting Sitka to appear and turn him back into a human, much to Denahi and Koda's surprise. Though Koda can't talk to humans, he doesn't want Kenai to leave, because ever since he came into the cub's life, he has been like a brother to him. However, Kenai asks Sitka to transform him back into a bear so he can stay with Koda. Sitka complies, and Koda is reunited briefly with the spirit of his mother, before she and Sitka return to the Spirits. In the end, Kenai lives with the rest of the bears and gains his title as a man, through being a bear.

Review: BROTHER BEAR has many strengths to recommend it, and I hope it eventually finds an audience on video.I'll admit a bias: I live in the Yukon Territory, and the story obviously takes place in next-door Alaska (with characters named "Sitka", "Kenai", and "Tanana", it's pretty obvious).
It also makes novel use of the movie screen by switching to a wider aspect ratio at a certain point in the story.The protagonist, the Inuit Kenai, learns the value of his totem, love, when he is transformed into a bear and becomes the traveling companion of the cub, Koda.
The film also features the hilarious Canadian moose, Rutt and Tuke (Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas) for comic relief.I would count Brother Bear among my three favorite animated films (along with South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron).
That's right, the real message of this story has direct application to today's world.Major morals from the story:1) We are all brothers and sisters in this world.2) See and understand the other person's point of view (even if you don't agree with it).3) Tolerance4) Being responsible for your actions.5) Forgiveness and Redemption.6) There is no greater love than the ability to sacrifice oneself for a friend.7) To those ruled by hate and fear: ....a) No matter who you are or how talented you may be, you will not last long in this world.
Brother Bear is one of those movies that is funny and moving at the same time and of an ideal length to hold the attention of a kid.Sure,the critics hated it probably because it is not as knowingly clever as Finding Nemo.
Having (I think) seen all the Disney animated features, I would have to say that 'Brother Bear' is the finest Disney feature since 'The Fox and the Hound' - which is to say the best around 25 years.
While it isn't perhaps quite as eye-popping and panoramic as 'The Lion King', I think this only goes to show that good storytelling will win out over superficial eye-candy covering a third-hand script.The final scenes of the movie are genuinely surprising (there is a sort of stock surprise ending, followed by something I really didn't see coming), and at the same time, it's genuine lump in the throat stuff - something Disney seemed to have been a bit shy about lately with films like 'Atlantis'.
Sadly, Disney Feature Animation closes down after "Home on the Range." I'm waiting for Disney's last cartoon on DVD, but the subject of this review is "Brother Bear." This is the second last traditional Disney animated feature."Brother Bear" is a good story of love, sin, understanding, forgiveness and brotherhood, as the title suggests.
with happiness,satire and the death of a character.the wonderful "disney style" of animation makes this movie an instant classic.This movie has a special treat for real and true movie goers with a funny segment at the end of the credits,so sit back,listen to the music and you will be rewarded..
A masterpiece and i know i will get hate for saying this but it is the truth, this movie is way better than several Pixar films which are good visuals but superficial story lines that don't capture heart, horrors of the world and emotion as Disney films of the past do.
Out of the post-Tarzan Disney movies, Brother Bear gets my vote as the most beautiful visually.Another pro was the awesome soundtrack.
The result really is a superb film.A magnificent parable that not only has exceptional high production values we come to expect from Disney animation, not only has good leads for the voice talent, but also has Bob and Doug McKenzie reincarnated as a couple of moose from "the great white north" (take off, eh!).
Me being the oldest and my two brothers and me, and has loving music in it, I'm one of those people who actually listens to movie tunes while I'm out in the day but on the bonus features where they mention a song called 'This can't be my destiny' by Phil Collins that to this day is still unreleased, they let you hear five seconds of the song but straight away I love the tune and I wish they could of added it as a bonus track on the official brother bear soundtrack album that I have.
It's a movie that has an heart and warm feeling and is perfect as good clean family entertainment.I don't think that "Brother Bear" will grow into becoming a Disney classic, it's too formulaic and unoriginal for that but it however is still one of the few recently made movies that has this typical old Disney feeling, with a warm story and atmosphere.
Like I said before, the story isn't terribly original and is some typical Disney stuff that already has been shown in some of their previous movies but it doesn't hold "Brother Bear" back from being a good movie but that didn't ruin the movie for me in any way.The animations are simply great and the environment and the characters look fantastic.
I like him as an actor but he hasn't got exactly a good voice for an animated movie.The movie might be at times a bit too scary for children and at times a bit too childish for adults but overall the movie in general is a perfect clean family fun entertaining one for all ages.The fantastic music is from Mark Mancina and Phill Collins, who after "Tarzan" teamed up again for this movie.It's a warm and entertaining movie for the entire movie.
Its beautiful, yet simple animation, great soundtrack, great characters, good story, and great message makes this film easily one to remember and re-watch here and there for years to come.
This film may not be the absolute best Disney film (then again, almost every film after The Lion King hasn't been as good as their previous films either), this film is amazing for what it is and I believe a lot of people who haven't seen it yet would enjoy it, just like me..
If it is shown up earlier, maybe 3 years earlier, or different time with Finding Nemo, it can gain much more positive response, because I believe that good story is the main element that makes an animated movie unforgettable..
I feel like Brother Bear was the last Disney film to connect on as deep and an emotional level as Lion King or any pre 2000 animated film.
Phil Collins should've worked with Disney on every film because he did SUCH and amazing job on the music in this movie.
Its a shame brother Bear didn't win the Oscar for best animated film.
Instead, Finding Nemo did, which looking back, Brother Bear is a much better film.Disney has lost its original drive.
On the surface, Disney's Brother Bear is a touching family film filled with adventure, humor, and likeable characters.
There is, of course, the literal transformation of the film's central character, Kenai (voiced by Joaquin Phoenix), into a bear but there is also the transformation of his heart, an awakening of his soul as he comes to a new level of understanding by walking in another's shoes  or, in this case paws!
One of the better films to come out of Disney studios in recent years, Brother Bear is wonderfully animated with lush painted backgrounds and 2- & 3-D drawings that hearken back to the pre-CG glory days.
Brother Bear isn't likely to be dubbed an instant classic, but with its exciting story and wholesome messages, it is a fine addition to your family's home movie library..
After dragging my feet to see this poorly-reviewed movie whose trailer suggested a warmed-over mix of past successes (principally THE LION KING with music by TARZAN's Phil Collins), I was pleasantly surprised to find BROTHER BEAR to be the most enjoyable hand-drawn animated film I've seen since Simba claimed his throne.
Brother Bear is one of the only Movies this year with true substance and Entertainment value.We've seen a few useless attempts by Disney to create spectacular 2D animated films since the Lion King in order to get back the glory, which is Disney animation.
So many of us judge other people from other walks of life as wild beasts, when all we need to do is look beneath the surface to truly understand.Whilst there are many similarities to the Lion King and other Disney films, Brother Bear clearly stands on its own as one of the best Disney films Ever.
(I'm going to be stingier with 9's and 10's to save a 10 for Return of the King next month; I'm sure very few other movies this year will come close to that one.)  The Northern Lights effects are very good, the art is beautiful and well up to usual Disney standards, and the story line is enjoyable and plausible in context.
With Brother Bear he again wrote, together with Mark Mancina a strong soundtrack with memorable songs like the upbeat "On My Way" or the sad "No Way Out" the latter is carried with some of the best animation Disney has done in recent years.The VoicesI'm glad Disney choose for less celeb voices with only the Moses being celeberty leaving the rest open for lesserknown/unknown (voice)actors.The ScreenMost of the film is animated to use the full length of the silver screen only supports the breathtaking art.Not the DVDDon't wait for the DVD you'll miss allot.
While he's on his way, he's accompanied by a spunky, cute bear cub named Koda (Jeremy Suarez), and it was then that Kenai realized how everyone needs to be loved no matter what they look like.
Together, both Kenai and Koda must overcome the dangers they face along the journey, including the ongoing threat from Denahi (Jason Raize), Kenai's other brother, who's hunting them down because he mistakes Kenai for the bear who took away Sitka's life.Believe me, this film is worth your money.
All the emotions and the funny moments as well as a great degree of spectacular animation are captured here, which makes "Brother Bear" an instant classic in the tradition of "Bambi".
Overall Brother Bear is the last one really decent hand-drawn Disney's animation and worth seeing for both kids and adults.8.5 out of 10.
Although not as politically correct as DreamWorks' "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron," the movie still smacks of the same revisionist history and pop mysticism that plagued Disney's own "Pocahontas." That these shortcomings don't bog down the whole picture speaks to the credit of the movie though, as does its somewhat leisurely but absorbing pace and funny performances.Kenai (Joaquin Phoenix) is a Native American hunter in the Pacific Northwest circa 8,000 B.C. The youngest of three brothers, Kenai is upset when he discovers the animal chosen to be his spirit totem is a bear, the symbol of love in his village.
However, Kenai's other brother Denhai is hunting him down, mistakenly believing Kenai is the bear that killed Sitka and has also killed Kenai as well.Based on the above description it might be hard to consider this a movie small children could watch, but the animation is so lively and the comedy relief inserted in just the right tension-breaking moments that the movie avoids being depressing.
Moranis and Thomas seem to be having a fun time invoking their Bob and Doug McKenzie characters from "SCTV," even going so far as to end their sentences with the stereotypical Canadian "eh" and altering their trademark line "hoser" into "hoofer." Every moment Rutt and Tuke onscreen is a welcome addition to the movie."Brother Bear" is one of the most unique animated features Disney has released in a long time, but still suffers from throwing together New Age spiritualism and suggesting a once harmonious coexistence between nature and mankind that frankly did not exist (or at least did not exist post-Eden).
Brother Bear (2003) *** (out of 4) Underrated Disney film about a Inuit hunter (voice of Joaquin Phoenix) who kills a bear without cause and ends up being transformed into a bear where he must help a young cub who has lost its mother.
BROTHER BEAR seems to get a lot of mixed reviews among Disney fans but I really don't understand why because I thought it was a pretty good film with several memorable characters, some good laughs, the needed pulling of the heart-strings and of course some great animation.
The scene where Kenai confesses his guilt to Koda is one of the most emotionally powerful scenes i've seen in a film, due, in a large part, to the great acting from Joaquin Phoenix in this movie.The animation is awesome and is most certainly not sub-par at all.
Easily as moving and as well detailed as The Lion King, Disney outdoes itself again with magnificent landscapes, heart-pounding action scenes, and a storyline which, while dwelling in the realm of high fantasy, comes out believable in spite of the magical and mythological nature of the plot.Phil Collins contributes much of the soundtrack, including the heartbreaking "No Way Out"; a song of hopelessness and despair at the realization of the pain one has caused to those he loves.
best film everi have seen this film 8 times and i cry evrery time i see it when kenai tels koda about his mom then i start crying it was so sad the he told koda that your mom wont be coming back then koda say no.....no and runs in to the forest and up a tree and starts too cry i feel like i want to go and pet him := but it is a movie and not for real but i feel like it is real it looks real and it is real inside of me this is a movie i can see over and over again i thank disney for making BROTHER BEAR make nr 2 if possipoll pleas...rank:A+++++++++ very very extra good ;0.
first time in Disney's life, the truly touching, funny, outrageous movie after Lion King!!!let's give Brother Bear 10 stars out of 10!!!!!.
Brother Bear and Home on the Range (April 2004) are part of a last ditch effort for Disney to revitalize this staple of animation before it is too late.The story centers on a young man who goes through a magical transformation and learns the meaning of brotherhood.
Rutt and Tuke may be the main draw but they only the comic relief and are added at all the appropriate moments to keep the story flowing.Despite being different genres of animation, Brother Bear does share one similarity with Pixar's Finding Nemo in the fact that both films have practically no big name stars voicing the characters.
Brother Bear makes the story its own by combining breathtaking landscapes, memorable characters and delightful voice talent to make one of the best family films of the year.
Sure, it's no Lion King, but who cares?My favorites were the moose brothers Rutt and Tuke and the bear cub Koda (who I thought was gonna be annoying but turned out adorable.)A wonderful Disney film that should kick 2D animation back in the game..
Brother Bear is a prefect Disney film that makes a great Disney movie.
I think all of us want more great animated movies like Brother Bear, Aladdin, The Lion King and a lot of others..
My rating: 6/10The absolute best Disney films, like Mary Poppins, feature a story line, music, characters, and magical animation effects that are fully enjoyable for all ages, from the youngest to the eldest.
Animation : B+ Music: C Plot: FFor me and my family, this will probably be the last Disney film we will see for a long time.
However, it starts and ends as a display of New Age mysticism and Native American spiritualism that many parents will have a difficult time explaining to their kids, or may choose to ignore the conversation altogether.The trailer heavily advertised an exchange between the Bear (voiced by Joaquin Phoenix) and "Rutt and Tuke" (the voices of Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis, of 80's MacKenzie Brothers fame) and it was one of the few points in the movie that actually got a laugh from the audience, albeit well-worn.
It is relatable, whilst at the same time, goes off in a way that is more make-believe.This movie is about Kenai, a man who resents all bears, after his brothers get into a fight with one, and is sadly killed.
I have to admit that, when I first saw the previews for Brother Bear, I didn't think much of it, especially since more recent Disney animated movies(Treasure Planet, Lilo & Stitch) have been pretty disappointing in my opinion.
However, despite all of this, throughout the entire movie, I felt like I had seen everything in the movie used at least once before by Disney, which takes away a little from the overall experience.In conclusion, despite a few minor flaws, Brother Bear is a very good movie which is certainly worth seeing, and is also one of the best animated Disney movies in a long time.-- 8/10.
As a lifelong Disney fan, the theatrical trailer for Brother Bear intrigued me, seeing as Disney and other movie makers were going in the direction of computer animated films, like Finding Nemo and Shrek.
Kenai regains his human form in time to stop Koda from being slain, but chooses to remain with his "little brother" as a bear.The story is touching, the action gripping and the musical score outstanding (Phil Collins delivers yet another remarkable performance).
Brother Bear is my absolute favorite Disney movie, and likely will be for the rest of my life.
It is a Disney animation movie and very touching film too.The Ice Age, there were three brothers.
The animation of Disney had definitely improved in the 2000s (before they switched to CG for good), though I think that it got a little too bright when we switch to Kenai's story as a bear.Then there are the characters, and I mostly like them (though I'll list a few).