#BROTHER BEAR MOVIE#

My favorite song in the movie is “On My Way.” This upbeat and catchy tune is complemented by dynamic meteorological visuals, including darkness, light, rain, and wind. Speaking of Phil Collins, the musician was a major contributor to Brother Bear, writing all seven of the film’s numbers while singing five of these songs. He also frequently outsmarts Kenai and has a knack for singing, though I prefer the voice of Phil Collins. Koda uses ice to create custom fun house mirrors. What? Who said that?! Oh, never mind it was only my echo. In addition to randomly bickering, the ram brothers enjoy absorbing their echoes absorbing their echoes. The brothers like to fight for no apparent reason, drive mammoths, and play “I spy.” I think Timon and Pumbaa are much funnier than the moose, but Rutt and Tuke are not too shabby. The moose brothers, Rutt and Tuke, are the film’s major comic relief characters, a sort of “poor man’s” version of Timon and Pumbaa from The Lion King (1994). In other words, do not expect to find a villain like Ursula from The Little Mermaid (1989) in Brother Bear. He is just ignorant of the larger situation. Believing Kenai to have been killed by a bear, for example, Denahi attempts to enact revenge by hunting the “killer.” The chase is scary from Kenai’s new perspective as a bear, but Denahi’s heart is in the right place. The characterization of Brother Bear is rendered complex by the differing perspectives of humans and bears, and no true antagonists exist. As in The Lion King (1994), all beings coexist within a “circle of life,” and Kenai does not want anyone to get hurt. Having found affection for both his human brother, Denahi, and his bear “brother,” Koda, Kenai is burdened by Denahi’s ignorant quest to hunt the bears. With the exception of the rams, however, love rises above animosity, and the respective siblings defend one another in times of need. The Yankees are better than the Mets, brother! No, they are not, Andrew!Īnyway, to get back on track, sibling rivalries are prevalent throughout Brother Bear, where such divides exist between Kenai and Denahi, Kenai and Koda, the moose brothers Rutt and Tuke, and the ram brothers. Oftentimes in real life, brothers fight for nonsensical reasons. Sometimes experience destroys preconceived notions. Kenai and Koda each gain perspective and empathy for the situation of their counterpart as they travel together. So, are humans or bears the real monsters? There is no right or wrong answer here. Conversely, a bear cub named Koda believes humans to be the worthless monsters because a hunter killed his mother. Kenai deems bears worthless monsters until he becomes a bear and is forced to deal with a persistent hunter, Denahi. This message is more obvious than subliminal. The spirits must decide that question, and Kenai will have to live with their judgment.Įmpathy, the ability to put yourself in the proverbial shoes of another being, is the major theme of Brother Bear. The score is now even, so the issue is settled, right? Maybe maybe not. As fate would have it, Kenai is soon threatened by a bear, and though the young man survives, Sitka is killed in the scuffle.ĭevastated over Sitka’s death, Kenai successfully seeks revenge, hunting down and killing a bear. Kenai sees bears as little more than aggressive monsters. Secondly, and more importantly, the corresponding totem is a bear. First, to him, love does not seem like a masculine quality, and Denahi teases him about it. The result, love, angers Kenai for two reasons. So, what virtue is bestowed within Kenai? Other potential virtues include courage, patience, and beauty. Many excellent virtues exist Kenai’s eldest brother, Sitka, for example, was blessed with guidance, and the middle brother, Denahi, received wisdom. In post-ice age North America, a young Inuit named Kenai is preparing for what should be the proudest day of his life, the day when Tanana, the village shaman, will present him with the totem that will reveal his leading virtue, chosen by the spirits of the tribal ancestors.

Brother bear