Brother Bear (2003)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Directors:

Aaron Blaise
Robert Walker

Writers:

Tab Murphy (screenplay) and
Lorne Cameron (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

1 November 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

The story of a boy who became a man by becoming a bear.

Plot:

A young Inuit hunter seeks vengence against a bear, only to be magically changed into a bear himself, and his only chance to change back is with a talkative bear cub.

Plot Keywords:

Animal In Title | No Opening Credits | Social Conflict | Social Issues | Class Distinction

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 17 nominations

Cast

Joaquin Phoenix	...	Kenai (voice)
Jeremy Suarez	...	Koda (voice)
Jason Raize	...	Denahi (voice)
Rick Moranis	...	Rutt (voice)
Dave Thomas	...	Tuke (voice)
D.B. Sweeney	...	Sitka (voice)
Joan Copeland	...	Tanana (voice)
Michael Clarke Duncan	...	Tug (voice)
Harold Gould	...	Old Denahi (voice)
Paul Christie	...	Ram #1 (voice)
Danny Mastrogiorgio	...	Ram #2 (voice) (as Daniel Mastrogiorgio)
Estelle Harris	...	Old Lady Bear (voice)
Greg Proops	...	Male Lover Bear (voice)
Pauley Perrette	...	Female Lover Bear (voice)
Darko Cesar	...	Foreign Croatian Bear (voice)

Also Known As:

Bears (USA) (working title)
Tierra de osos (USA: Spanish title)

Runtime:

82 min | Finland:87 min (dubbed version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Inuktitut | Serbo-Croatian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | Germany:o.Al. | Finland:K-3 | Malaysia:U | South Korea:All | Portugal:M/4 | Australia:G | Brazil:Livre | Philippines:G | Singapore:G | Spain:T | Switzerland:8 (canton of Zurich) | UK:U | USA:G (certificate #40113)

Filming Locations:

Orlando, Florida, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Feature Animation

Trivia:

An idea to do an animated television series spin-off for the Rutt and Tuke characters was eventually scrapped by Disney.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the opening scene, the English subtitles for the film read that Sitka is speaking, when it is actually Denahi.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Denahi as an Old Man: This is a story from long ago, when the great mammoths still roamed our lands. It's the story of my two brothers and me. When the three of us were young, we were taught that the world is full of magic. The source of this magic is the ever-changing lights that dance across the sky...

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in The Simpsons Movie (2007)

Soundtrack:

No Way Out (Theme from Brother Bear)

Outstanding

Disney's penultimate traditionally animated feature proved to be one of its best. The film is loosely based on the mythology of the native people of the Pacific Northwest. It has many classic mythological elements such as transformations and journeys, both physical and spiritual. It is also unique among Disney films, in having no villain (at least in a tangible sense).

The movie features great music by Phil Collins and beautiful animation. 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). It's also great for the kids. 10/10