Review of Brother Bear (2003) by Danielle C — 07 Sep 2013

Kenai has a manhood ceremony, where he will also receive a totem. He receives a bear totem which represents love and he is confused as to why he has received this. Kenai fail to tie up the fish basket to the tree, so it was taken by a bear. Kenai being upset set out to find the bear that tore up the basket. He spotted the bear and started to throw rock at the bear. This upset the bear making him charge at Kenai which makes him fall off a cliff. His brothers see this happen and come to rescue him. Ultimately, Sitka the oldest brother gives up his life to save his brothers. Kenai blames the bear for all that have happen and set off to find and kill the bear. Kenai manages to find the bear again and kills the bear, but in return the spirits turn Kenai into a bear. This is all so Kenai can learn some lessons before regaining his human form, mainly what the meaning of his totem means and how it is important it is to have it. Denahi the middle brother think Kenai died because of the bear and he is anger by this, so he set off to kill the bear that he thinks killed Kenai. In order for Kenai to regain his human form again he has to go where the lights touch the earth. Koda knows where this happens, so he and Kenai set out on a journey to where the lights touch the earth.

This movie relates to world religion in many ways it however relates more to Primal religions. There is a set location throughout the movie where the main focus is the place where the lights touch the earth, a perfect example of Local, which is a feature of Primal religions. Another good example used throughout the movie is when Kenai experience life through the eyes of a bear. He discovers the mysteries of animal life which is also another feature of Primal religions known as the importance of harmony with biological and ecology of nature and animals. The manhood ceremony is also an example of Ancestrism from the Primal religions. Since the totems are chosen by talking to the spirits to figure out which one you get. You could also say when Sitka was guild his brothers throughout the movie with his spirit it would also be an example. The cyclical view of time also come in to play in this movie since Sitka spirit is still alive and guiding his brothers throughout the movie. The whole movie partly runs off of the aspect of the "circle of life" which then ties in the cyclical view of time which is one of the features of the Primal religions.