Brother Bear (2003)

Directed by Aaron Blaise and Robert Walker
Written by Tab Murphy, Lorne Cameron, David Hoselton, Steve Bencich, and Ron J. Friedman
Premiered November 1, 2003
85 minutes
Rated G

Synopsis
In post ice age North America, a young Inuit man named Kenai (Joaquin Phoenix) is about to be given his totem--an animal spirit with a virtue that will guide his life. Kenai is very dismayed when he receives the Bear of Love, a very unmanly totem in his opinion. Shortly after, Kenai's eldest brother Sitka (D.B. Sweeney) is killed fighting with a bear and Kenai vows revenge. He succeeds but as punishment for disrespecting the Earth, he is turned into a bear by the Great Spirits, which now includes Sitka. Elder of the tribe Tanana (Joan Copeland) urges Kenai to return to the mountain tops where the Great Spirits reside and convince Sitka to turn him back into a human. On the way, Kenai meets precocious bear cub Koda (Jeremy Suarez) who has been separated from his mother. Koda, who happens to know where these mythic mountain tops are, acts as Kenai's guide while attempting to bond with him. Meanwhile, Kenai's other brother Denahi (Jason Raize) is hungry to take revenge on the bear who he believed killed both his brothers.

Before We Begin
I first saw Brother Bear in the summer of 2006 which was the first time I ever marathoned the DAFs. I rented it from the library on DVD. I didn't like it.

I really have nothing else to add. That is how bland Brother Bear is.

Mötley Müsings
• I don't know about you all, but I appreciate that there two DAFs that feature Native American characters. (No, we are not counting Peter Pan!) It would be perfectly understandable if Disney decided that Pocahontas covered everything they thought necessary. ("We already did Indians!") Plus, Inuits have an entirely separate culture from the Powhatans.

• Isn't it crazy the Brother Bear font is the American Horror Story font?

• Here's the first song written by Phil Collins--"Great Spirits" performed by Tina Turner. If ain't "We Don't Need Another Hero", I don't want to hear it. I didn't really like Phil Collins' stuff in Tarzan, and I really don't like it here.

• I mean, it looks fucking gorgeous.

• So did mammoths and humans live at the same time? Yes?

• Patience. Motherhood. I don't have the energy to pick that one apart...

• Why does a bear represent love? The protectiveness of the mothers? Because we like to hug teddy bears? I question this.

• "You should have gotten the totem of pinheads!" #anachronistic And isn't "pinhead" a politically incorrect term?

• Have I mentioned that this movie is fucking gorgeous?

• This first part has stakes! Drama! The makings of a great movie!

• "I don't blame the bear, Kenai!"

• "Do you really think love has anything to do with being a man?" Biologically no, emotionally yes.

• Tanana is basically the only female character in this movie. It's cool that she's not a love interest or mother, but an important elder in her tribe. That's cool. #feministdisney

• Fucking. Gorgeous.

• But now Kenai is a bear and the movie changes tone and goes in a direction I don't, personally, care for.

• Okay. I should mention that at this point in the film--Kenai waking up as a bear--the aspect ratio changes from 1.75:1 to 2.35:1, which my VHS doesn't show. The DVD does. Also the colors are WAY brighter in this part.

• Here's Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis as moose brothers Tuke and Rutt, the animal version of the McKenzie brothers from SCTV, which I have never watched. But they don't bug me.

• "I'm not a bear. I hate bears." "Well, gee, eh, you're one big beaver."

• But you know who does bug me? Fucking Koda. Annoying child character. Fuck him. FUCK HIM.

• Shut up, Koda! Shut up! Nobody likes you!

• Curmudgeonly adult's heart melted by plucky child is one of my least favorite plot threads.

• Why does Koda even want to be friends with this guy who doesn't like him?

• All right. Now is when I'm going to make my argument for how Brother Bear could have been better.

You have this overly masculine main character who thinks bravery and strength are the only makings of a man. Then he gets the totem of love and instead of the movie going the romantic route (like many Disney movies before) they go the family route. But does Kenai really need to learn about family love? Never for a second did I think Kenai, Denahi, and Sitka didn't love each other. They bicker and tease, but isn't that normal? Maybe Kenai needs to learn to be less of a douche and to not hate bears, but love his brothers? No. I think he's good there. I mean, he sets out to avenge one of them for christssakes!

Brother Bear (obviously with a different title) would work better as a romance. Picture it: Kenai has turned into a bear. On his search for Sitka's spirit, he runs into a she-bear whom acts as a guide. Kenai learns she isn't the monster all bears appear to be. Maybe she has a cub. Maybe he's as irritating as Koda. Kenai learns tolerance and patience. He learns to love. And then he finds out she was the bear who "killed Sitka".

Isn't that good? Far more dramatic. Higher stakes.

Of course, they'd have to change the set-up. Maybe have Kenai thumbing his nose at one of his brothers' romances. Oh well...that isn't the way it went. I think having a romance told through the male perspective would have been new and also, perhaps successful. I mean, Aladdin sort of did that and look how big it was. (I am aware the romance had nothing to do with the movie's success.)

Brother Bear could have been great. That's all I'm sayin'.

• Oh man. They're bonding. And Denahi is getting pissed. I enjoy his story arc. And he has facial hair. Interesting design choice.

• Lessons about prejudice.

• "Hey. You're stirring up the water, dude."

• Another song.

• Newlywed bears. The gag is ruined by someone saying "Get a cave!"

• Kenai realizes what we all know: the bear he killed was Koda's mother!

• Dramatic song moment.

• "What about when your hooves froze in the pond? Who sat with you all winter, eh?"

• Koda is far less irritating when he only makes bear noises.

• And so Kenai chooses to remain a bear so he can take care Koda because he finally understands what love is. (But he already knew!) Also, he is responsible for his mother's death.

• End credits jokes.

Final Thoughts
So that was Brother Bear. It looks great. But it is not as good as I think it could have been. Therefore, it is ranked very low on my list. I can't just let the movie be what it is. I am tripping over its potential.

Damn. I just don't have enough to say. It's Brother Bear. It's pretty blah. (Other than the visuals). Oh, and I fucking hate Koda. Normally the most irritating character is just a sidekick, but when it's one of the protagonists, it's just too fucking much. It causes resentment towards the film. It makes it a chore.

Favorite Character

Denahi

Favorite Moment -- Kenai's transformation
Favorite Song -- "I'm On My Way" performed by Jeremy Suarez and Phil Collins. (DEFAULT.)