Review of Brother Bear (2003) by Martin R — 22 Jun 2012

Although many Detractors of this film like to point out similarities with the Lion King and Ice Age, let me start off by saying that those people who deride this film on that basis clearly have no comprehension of plot.

(for humorous reasons: Not only that but because Joaquin Phoenix voices one of the main characters, that automatically makes this film superior to The Lion King and Ice Age). Okay, back on the road of seriousness; the score/soundtrack is fantastic and powerful--though it's not as grappling as Disney's 1998 Tarzan--the music is executed perfectly here.

Now then, though the story isn't exactly original, self described as "the story of a boy who became a man by becoming a bear," it does have a variety of themes encoded within the movie and it all depends on how you look at it.

Personally, I've always admired the whole "Spiritual" concept and the "living at peace with Nature and our fellow earthlings" lifestyle--so perhaps my review is a bit biased here.

But that's not to say that I wouldn't have enjoyed the film otherwise. The Bears, voiced by Joaquin Phoenix and Jeremy Suarez, are the true backbone of this movie, had it not been for those two, this movie would have turned out completely different [negatively].

The only bad comment that I have to say is that movie felt rushed; it's as if the studio ran out of time and made the best with what they had. Perhaps an in-depth view on the Journey undergone by the two Bears would have made the film a lot better rather than a montage But for what it was worth, Brother Bear is a great film for all ages, it's a short film but it packs a punch in emotion and idea.