Brother Bear (2003)
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The story
In post-ice age Alaska, a young man named Kenai receives the bear as his totem. After a tragic accident involving a bear and his brother, Kenai is transformed into a bear by the Great Spirits as punishment. To become human again, he must travel to a faraway mountain where the lights touch the earth. Along the way, he encounters a cub named Koda whose mother is missing. The two form an unlikely bond and embark on a journey together, joined by a pair of moose brothers, while being pursued by Kenai's brother, Denahi, who seeks to avenge him.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In post-ice age Alaska, Kenai, the youngest of three brothers, receives the bear as his totem. After a fight with a bear leads to the death of his brother Sitka, Kenai kills the bear in a fit of rage and is transformed into a bear by the Great Spirits. To become human, he must travel to a mountain where the lights touch the earth. He meets Koda, a cub whose mother is missing. They travel together with Rutt and Tuke, a pair of moose. Along the way, Kenai realizes that the bear he killed was Koda's mother. He eventually reaches the mountain and is confronted by his brother Denahi. After Koda intervenes to save him, Kenai is turned back into a human by Sitka's spirit. However, realizing Koda needs him, Kenai chooses to remain a bear, finding his true identity and becoming a man through his new form.
- First release year
- 2003
- Runtime (minutes)
- 85
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Aaron Blaise; Robert Walker
- Writers
- Tab Murphy · screenplay; Lorne Cameron · screenplay; David Hoselton · screenplay; Steve Bencich · screenplay; Ron J. Friedman · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Joaquin Phoenix · Kenai; Jeremy Suarez · Koda; Rick Moranis · Rutt; Dave Thomas · Tuke; Jason Raize · Denahi; D. B. Sweeney · Sitka
- Genres
- animated; musical; fantasy; adventure; comedy-drama
- Themes
- brotherhood; nature; redemption; identity
- Tone and mood
- playful; serious; heartfelt
- Setting
- Post-ice age Alaska
- Premise and plot tags
- transformation; buddy film; coming-of-age
- Franchise connections
- Brother Bear
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics, with some praising its visuals and message of respect for nature, while others found it to be a standard, somewhat unoriginal Disney production.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 38% · scale: percentage · review count: 130; Metacritic · score: 48 · scale: 100 · review count: 28
- Awards and nominations
- Best Animated Feature · Academy Awards · Nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was the first since The Horse Whisperer to use a widescreen shift.; The character of Denahi was originally intended to be Kenai's father.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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