AGW Entertainment reporter Lynn B. saw a new animated family film

BROTHER BEAR

Walt Disney Pictures

Since the mega-success of The Lion King, Disney has wanted to do more animated animal films. Finally an animation director came onboard who wanted to do a film just so he could animate bears. "I'm kind of an animal nut". The result is Brother Bear, a cautionary tale about revenge, love and family set 1,000 years ago.

An old Eskimo man tells youngsters the story of himself and his two brothers years ago. In a coming-of-age ceremony, Tanana (Joan Copeland), the village shaman, presents young bro, Kenai (Joaquin Phoenix), a totem (animal symbol) to guide him on life's journey. He gets a carved bear, the symbol of love. He thinks it's wimpy and far from masculine and is disappointed. His older bro Sitka (D.B. Sweeny) got an eagle! His other bro Denahi (Jason Raize) got a macho wolf. The bros tease Kenai about his wimpy totem.

When Kenai finds out that a bear has made off with his basket of fish, he hunts the grizzly down but is trapped. Older bros come to the rescue but Sitka is killed in a fight with the bear. Heartsick, Kenai vows revenge and tracks down the bear, angering the great spirits. They teach the youth a lesson by transforming him into a bear so he'll know what it is like to be hunted by man. Denahi goes after Kenai hoping to protect him and finds…a bear! He thinks the bear killed Kenai and has no idea that the animal is actually his transformed brother and starts hunting him, forcing man/bear Kenai to run.

Tanana explains to the man/bear that he was transformed by the spirit of his bro Sitka and he can find him on the "mountain where the light touches the earth" (referring to the Northern Lights). On his jouney, Kenai encounters an orphan bear cub Koda (Jeremy Suarez) and really stupid moose brothers Rutt and Tuke (Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas). He finally makes it to the mountain and has learned a lesson.

This is one of the last of the at least partially hand-animated movies out there. Everything seems to be computer-generated in our era. I like the beauty of the old hand-drawn cells! Some of the scenes of waterfalls, and the aurora borealis are truly beautiful. The story here is very worthy but be warned that, although there are plenty of happy moments and a happy ending, there is sadness in the middle of the tale.

The highlight for me were the two wacky moose brothers Tuke and Rutt, voiced perfectly by t.v. veterans of "The Great White North" Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis. These scruffy, furry Canadian-accented dudes are hilarious! Little bear Koda and the bear version of Kenai are a whole lot like recent animated film side-kick duos like Donkey and Shrek and the mammoth Manfred and Sloth Sid in Ice Age but who cares, they are still heart-warming and funny. Music by Phil Collins is nice to listen to and offers some jolly tunes. All voice actors do great work as well.

The film has a lot to say about an after-life and being one with all beings in nature. No matter what religion you might or might not believe in, it's comforting for all to watch the back-to-nature story that plays up mankind's one-ness with the Earth and her creatures.

Rated: G

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