Brother Bear
Nature Calls
Overview
When an impulsive boy named Kenai is magically transformed into a bear, he must literally walk in another's footsteps until he learns some valuable life lessons. His courageous and often zany journey introduces him to a forest full of wildlife, including the lovable bear cub Koda, hilarious moose Rutt and Tuke, woolly mammoths and rambunctious rams.
Backdrop
What makes this movie Worth Watching
Brother Bear explores themes of cultural understanding and environmentalism, drawing inspiration from Inuit and Native Alaskan folklore and spirituality. The film emphasizes the importance of respecting nature and living in harmony with animals, reflecting a growing awareness of indigenous perspectives and environmental concerns in contemporary society.
- Beautiful animation style that captures the Alaskan wilderness.
- Heartwarming story about brotherhood, understanding, and seeing the world from a different perspective.
- Phil Collins' memorable soundtrack and score effectively enhance the emotional impact of the film.
- Humorous and endearing supporting characters like Rutt and Tuke provide comedic relief.
Fun Facts
- The characters Rutt and Tuke are voiced by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas, famous for their roles as Bob and Doug McKenzie, a popular Canadian comedy duo.
- Originally, the story was going to feature a completely different villain than the bear Koda, but the filmmakers realized the story had more emotional depth focusing on the bond between Kenai and Koda.
- The film's animation style shifts from a widescreen aspect ratio at the beginning to a more circular one after Kenai transforms into a bear, symbolizing his changed perspective and connection to the natural world.
Available Languages
English
US
Title:
"Nature Calls"
Deutsch
DE
Title: Bärenbrüder
""
Italiano
IT
Title: Koda, fratello orso
""
Français
FR
Title: Frère des ours
"La nature vous appelle"
suomi
FI
Title: Karhuveljeni Koda
""
Nederlands
NL
Title:
"Nature Calls"
Where to Watch
Cast
Crew
Reviews
Heartwarming, if not as impactful as it intends to be.
'Brother Bear' leaves heartfelt feelings and features a cute story. It does get a bit too melancholic in moments where it doesn't need to be or where it's not set up perfectly. It can also feel a little predictable, but the twist is decent enough. Animation-wise it's fine, while that early aspect ratio stuff is oddly done.
The voice cast aren't amazing, despite the talents of Joaquin Phoenix (Kenai) and Michael Clarke Duncan (Tug). Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas are pretty amusing as Rutt and Tuke though. As a whole, I just don't feel the voices suit the characters greatly.
The pacing is pretty good while Phil Collins does a satisfactory job with the music, not sure how I feel about the ending though. Overall, it's very much mid-range Disney.
"Kenai" is a young Inuit warrior who disturbs the spirits when he kills a bear. His punishment is to be turned into one himself, and be left to wander the wilderness alone. Luckily, he encounters the young cub "Koda" who thinks he might know the exact spot where "Kenai" might be restored to his humanity. What doesn't help their quest is that his human brother "Denahi" thinks that "Kenai" has been killed by a bear, and so is chasing his new form with lethal intent. As the two bears start to bond, they have some fun escapades, meet the "Stadler & Waldorf" of the moose fraternity and "Kenai" learns the values of friendship, loyalty and community - as well as how to catch some leaping salmon! The quality of the animation, the Phil Collins-led soundtrack (with a decent number from Tina Turner too) and the spirituality of the whole thing is breezy and enjoyable to watch. The young "Koda" reminded me frequently of a sort of "Mowgli" character. Friendly and playful but still staying on the right side of annoying. I also rather liked the denouement - that, too, had a sort of joy to it that exemplified the symbiotic nature of the relationship that ought to exist between mankind and the rest of nature. Characterful animations and cave paintings too! Worth a watch, definitely.
Oscar Awards
Wins
Haven't Won A Oscar
Nominations
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM - 2003
Aaron Blaise, Robert Walker
Media
Trailer
Brother Bear (2003) 35mm film trailer, flat hard matte, 1440p