Review of Brother Bear (2003) by Jessica R — 24 Jan 2012

A very adorable animation of more than what many may see as just another Disney heart felt. What most may see in Brother Bear is a story of a boy wanting to be a man, only to turn in to a bear. The bear of love is the totem or spirit guide given to this young man to help him in his life. What I'm sure most everyone will miss is a much more important message about misunderstandings of others' lives. The ignorance many of us don't realize we have. This boy had to find the basket of fish that was taken because he did not do as he was told. He realized a bear had taken the fish, became angry and then agitated the bear. The boy's brothers came to save him only to have one of them sacrifice his own life to save the others. This boy became overcome with anger for the bear, blaming him for his brothers death. He leaves to hunt this bear in revenge and kills her. At this time the spirit of his brother saddened by the boys choice to kill her turns his brother into a bear in hopes that he gain the knowledge of why he was wrong. He was told by his shaman to take the matter up with his brothers spirit where the spirits touch the earth at the mountains. The boy (now bear) starts off on his search to find this place when he runs in to a young cub. He may talk a lot but proves useful when he says he knows where the mountains are. This cub makes a deal to show him where they are if he takes him to a sort of watering hole where the salmon seem to be plenty at that time of year. Meanwhile, the boy experiences the fear the bears feel when being hunted because the third brother now hunts him thinking he was the bear who killed both brothers. When the two bears arrive at the watering hole they are greeted by many other bears with happy open arms. Later that night the cub tells the story of how his mother and him became separated and is hoping his mother will meet him at the salmon run. This leaves the boy feeling guilty when he realizes he was the man hunting the cubs mother and it was he who orphaned this cub. Now he sees that the bears are not monsters but families much like his own; just with different traditions. He then goes to the mountain where his live brother attacked him only to be stopped by his other brother turning him back in to a human. With a new perspective and respect for all life the boy becomes a man by choosing to stay a bear. He decided that the cub needed him now and he was to take responsibility. The live brother grew telling this story to his tribe to help the young understand their traditions.

In this movie the boy learns what it is like to be on the other side, being hunted and like the others he is confused as to why. He learns to love the animal he hated and in fact becomes family. This movie relates to world religions by way of indigenous people. Some believe in the circle of life or the cycle that we must all continue on. The boy's story started when he participated in his right of passage leading to his journey to become a man, all part of the circle(39, Fisher). Also Acknowledging the fact that he was family to something out side of what he knew relates to the indigenous. Maori, indigenous people in New Zealand believed that everything is related with earth as our mother and sky as our father (36, Fisher). He learned to respect both sides and learn to live in peace with the differences. This is something that world religions should aspire to accomplish. This move also refers to the respect that his tribe and even the animals have for their ancestors. The mountain where the spirits touch the earth serves as the sacred land like the "Western Tibet's Mount Kailas." (44, Fisher).

Fisher, Mary. Living Religions. eighth ed. New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc, 2011. 36-39. Print.