Review of Brother Bear (2003) by Wilma R — 04 Sep 2012

"Brother Bear" has something for everyone. It is a movie filled with sadness, love, friendship, forgiveness, and humor. It is beautifully set and the characters are very relatable.

The youngest of three brothers, Kenai, wants to be considered a man, and in order to do this he must learn to live his life with love, according to his "totem" which is a bear.When Sitka, the eldest brother, dies trying to protect Kenai, and Denahi from a bear, Kenai turns vengeful. Ignoring warnings from Denahi, Kenai tracks down the bear to kill it. Upon killing the bear, Kenai realizes that Sitka's spirit has turned him into a bear, and the only way to change back is to find where the light meets the earth. Believing Kenai is the second victim of the bear, Denahi goes in search to kill the bear.

In search of this light, Kenai meets Koda, a young bear who has lost his mother. Koda offers to help Kenai if he will accompany him.Kenai with his dislike for bears, now must rely on one to change back. Along their journey they meet several quirky characters and kenai discovers, Koda is as scared of humans, as they are of him. Without giving the ending away, the two must work together to find what they are looking for. In the end Kenai finds his true self, and the true meaning of family and love.

This movie also teaches a little about indigenous people. Kenai, Sitka, and Denahi are all from the Inuit tribe. They had a shaman, Tanana, she was responsible for talking to the spirits and presenting them with their "totems".They believed in spirits, where the lights touch the earth, and that everything is related in one way or another: people, animals, nature. Kenaiupset the spirits by killing the bear;Therfore, turing into a bear. The indigenous people have a kinship with all creation, "all things are interconnected"(Fisher,pg.43). They also have shamans," people who offer themselves as mystical intermediaries between the physical and non physical world for specific purposes"(Fisher,pg53). Storytellers are also important for passing along traditions and this movie begins with the story of the brothers.

I really enjoyed this movie. I liked the storyline and the message. The only negative, for me, would be the soundtrack. I thought the music was outdated.

Source.

Fisher, Mary Pat. Living Religions. 8th. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2011. Print.