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!!
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.
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.
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.
He thought it was fun at the time, but then had no interest in talking about it later. Had no memory of the characters and turned down an offer from Uncle to see it again.Not worth the time....
Very delightful--my toddler loved the bears and the magical parts. He also has a brother and liked the 'brother' roughhousing. One part that bothered me was how to explain the concept of revenge to my toddler. He kept talking about the mean bear and even yelled "Get Him" when the middle brother tried to kill the bear. Yikes. But, I decided that it was probably not a concept my toddler would get, although it would offer a great chance to discuss this issue with an older child--to help them see that there are always 2 sides to every situation. So--while the little ones will love this movie because of all the fun animal parts--my best suggestion is to downplay the violent side by pulling out the lollipop at that point. :)
I didn't like the very beginning where a bear dies and a man dies but if these events didn't occur there wouldn't be a movie. I really like the animals talking and showing how friendships can occur with the most diversified backgrounds. The humor used in the film was very innocent and funny. My children are 10 and 12 and really enjoyed it.
When Brother Bear first came out in the theaters, I took my two sons, ages 12 and 6 to see it. We all were laughing through almost the whole movie...if it wasn't something the two bears were doing, it was at the moose. We enjoyed the movie so much that the following week, we took my friend and her daughter, age 11 to see it also. They enjoyed it just as much. I would wholeheartedly suggest this movie to anyone who would like to have an enjoyable evening with their family.