 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Brother Bear
- Review Date: October 13, 2004
- G
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 2003
Common Sense Media says
Lackluster story only for kindergarteners.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the movie has some tense scenes of peril, and two characters are killed. Some children may be disturbed by the way that those characters return as spirits, but some may be reassured that love never dies. There is a little potty humor. The movie's multicultural range of voices and setting in pre-historic Inuit culture add a lot to the movie's texture.
What's the story?
In BROTHER BEAR, Kenai (voice of Joaquin Phoenix) is the youngest of three brothers. He is impetuous, careless, and very impatient for the coming-of-age ceremony where he will be assigned a "totem," a symbol that will guide him through life. But he is disappointed by the symbol he receives, a bear, symbolizing love. His brother Sitka (D. B. Sweeny) has the eagle, for leadership, and his brother Denahi (Jason Raize) has the wolf, for wisdom. Kenai does not think either the bear or the love it symbolizes are very important. When Sitka is killed protecting his brothers from a bear, an enraged Kenai kills it. The Great Spirits want to teach Kenai a lesson, so they use the Northern Lights to transform him into the creature he despises. When Denahi arrives, he thinks Kenai has been killed, and so he hunts the bear, not realizing it is his own brother. Kenai must make a journey, physical and spiritual, before he can become his true self. Guided by a cheerfully chatty cub named Koda (Jeremy Suarez), Kenai sets off for the place where he can return to human form. But Denahi is pursuing them and other challenges lie ahead. The most important are the lessons Kenai must learn about loss, love, and brotherhood.
Is it any good?
The most imaginative part of this Disney animated feature, set in the Pacific Northwest at the end of the Ice Age, is the sunlight on the glaciers. It is magnificently rendered. The grandeur of the settings is nicely evoked, especially after Kenai becomes a bear and the screen literally opens up and brightens. Other than that lovely glimpse of majesty and artistry, the movie is right off the assembly line, an uninspired and lackluster story told with some visual flourish and a few cute moments but without much energy.
There are some exciting moments when Kenai fights the bear and when Kenai and Koda race through a sulfurous geyser field. There are some funny moments with SCTV veterans Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis as a pair of silly moose brothers. But the music by Phil Collins is mediocre, even when legends Tina Turner and the Blind Boys of Alabama do their best to add some spirit. All cultures have legends of physical transformation as a way of making more accessible the idea of spiritual and emotional change. These stories can be compelling and deeply meaningful, even for children. But here, the story is just too superficial and the script is too pseudo-mythological. The conclusion may strike some in the audience as jarring.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about which totems they would like to pick for themselves and what animals they would most like to get a chance to be. What did Kenai learn as a bear that he could not learn as a human? There is an old Native American saying that you should not judge another person until you have walked a mile in his moccasins. How does this movie make handle that idea? What do you think about his decision at the end of the movie? Talk about the movie's perspective on what you do to make amends when you have done something terrible, and about how siblings should support each other. Be sure that children notice how the look of the movie changes when Kenai becomes a bear. As Kenai sees through a bear's eyes, we see through his, the entire shape of the screen changing and the colors brightening. As Kenai also learns to listen, the sound of the movie becomes fuller as well.
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AGE
A classic
In our home, this is a classic. We love it!! And it's one of those movies that you, as adult, have to see it with your kids and DON'T ever get bored of it. A great movie!!
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AGE
A great film for everyone.
WHY DID THIS MOVIE GET TWO STARS!!?????? This film is GREAT!!!!!! I AM ELEVEN YEARS OLD AND I STILL LOVE IT. DO NO look at the top of the screen and assume it is a bad film like the top of this page suggests. My guess is that whoever did this forgot to watch the movie. Also there is a very funny moose commentary in which two moose characters discuss the film. Please get it right next time, Common sense reviewing, because you need to use common sense and find the great parts in a great film.
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AGE
great movie thats fine for kids!
this movie is fun and funny!!! KIDS WILL ENJOY!
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AGE
We've seen a lot of Disney, maybe too much, but this movie has captivated my 4.5 year old. He loved it as a 3 year old (we skipped some of the scarier parts) and now that he's approaching 5 he's taken a new interest in it. We love the bits of humor (though the "shut up" bit could be shorter), the characters are so well played and themes so well rendered that it has helped our son learn how to ask questions.
The story is pretty simple, but the message is complex. It is intriguing to little ones and open-minded adults alike. The messages of brotherhood and love, of the futility of revenge, of ultimate inclusion in the family of beings, and the timeless truth that we can still be in contact with our ancestors by being in positive contact with each other, here and now, are all themes that resonate with each viewing. Interestingly enough, without judgment, our son seems to have
Our son keeps asking interesting and probing questions and if we parents take the time and open our eyes, we can answer the questions or say to them :let's see if we can figure that out together", we'll be better off than assuming a movie is a baby sitter.
This film actually may be one of Disney's most underrated films.
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AGE
Best movie EVER!!!
It was soooo beautiful, I cried man. . Its a must see! Plus I'm part Inuit indian, so I was completly fasinated! Yes, one character did die, but for a good purpose to save his two little brothers. And he forgave the bear. Kenai is a good model of how men are sometimes, especially YOUNG men. Stubborn, head strong, dependent, always think they right, and really good at heart. His brother Denahi didn't blame the bear, at least not until he thought it killed Kenai too. They're all really caring characters! The music was inchanting, and it shows bears aren't as scary as people suspect. They're just as scared as us as we are of them. Besides, they know we have guns to harm them, what do they got, claws? And we use them for silly reasons, fur, fun, decorating, and just to get them out of the way. Sometimes I question being human, to even be the same creature to those that kill there own kind, start wars, consume things, greed, yet other creatures work to what they got. I know its 'sin' but seriously thats an excuse to hate and do as we please. By the way, my totum is the wolf. It's not really that scary, at least not to me. So a few bear fights, so what we've done worse. . haven't we? Like the song, look threw their eyes.
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AGE
You Can Easily Skip This Disney Film...
My 6 and 4 year old kids like this movie, but I really don't care for it. There is the death of the mother bear and brother that some parents might not like their little ones to see. But what I really didn't care for was the nasty attitude and horrible outlook that Keeni had through half the movie was a downer, then a couple of rams got on this back and forth "SHUT UP!" kick that was way too long and unnecessary. My kids think it's funny, but that language is not allowed in our home. Koda, the group of bears at the river and the two moose are the only breath of fresh air I got throughout the movie. Disney tried, but I think they missed the mark on this one.
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AGE
Brother Bear
I saw this movie. I like it. Kendi have to tell Koda what happed to his mom.
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AGE
Good film for kids
I saw this movie back when I was in 2nd grade. It's okay, but I wouldn't say it was the best. Kids may feel a little sad or even frightened when one person is killed and when Koda's mother is killed by a hunter. You may need to explain to your child what happened and why. I would give it more than two stars, because it does deserve more. I don't think only kindergartners would enjoy it. I enjoyed it myself when I was in 2nd grade! Kids will find it interesting, but then again, it depends on your child.
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AGE
UGG!
Ok this movie has no sexual content but it has a horrible message. i really did not like it at all.
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AGE
Complex, death-driven yet silly humour
I was not keen on this movie, as I started watching with a 3-year-old. Too complex, lots of death (including a mother bear, whose baby has to come to terms with her death in one scene) in early stages, and lots of silliness that make light of a sad underlying story - too long before you get to the message.
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy, adventures, book characters, wild animals |
| Studio: | Walt Disney Pictures |
| Directors: | Aaron Blaise, Robert Walker |
| Cast: | Joaquin Phoenix, Michael Clarke Duncan, Rick Moranis |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 85 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | October 31, 2003 |
| DVD release date: | March 30, 2004 |
| MPAA rating: | G |
| MPAA explanation: | all audiences |
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