Barnes & Noble

Feasting on the first berries of spring preoccupies Kenai and his adopted younger brother, Koda, who are off to Cranberry Ridge in this direct-to-disc Disney sequel to the 2003 theatrical release Brother Bear. Kenai, the young Inuit hunter who transformed into a bear in the original, now speaks with the voice of Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy) rather than Joaquin Phoenix. And it rings true to hear TV’s "Dr. McDreamy" in this spring fever-themed tale, as the increasingly mature seven-foot grizzly Kenai encounters the young Inuit woman Nita (Mandy Moore), to whom as a human child he’d pledged lifelong friendship. The spirits have put the skids on Nita’s arranged marriage; and the shaman Innoko explains that the only way for her to get on with her life is by traveling with Kenai to Hokani Falls and burning the amulet that binds them together. They have but three days to reach their destination. En route, former feelings between the two resurface, and Koda becomes worried his big brother will choose to become human again to be with Nita. Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis reprise their scene-stealing roles as the Mackenzie-esque moose brothers, Toque and Rut. In a welcome casting coup, they are joined by fellow SCTV cast members Andrea Martin and Catherine O'Hara as the "moosettes" they try awkwardly to impress. Some of the anachronistic dialogue smacks of pandering and the maxims are somewhat clichéd, but Brother Bear 2 is something of a benchmark for Disney. This is a direct-to-video sequel that doesn't play like the pilot to a proposed TV series, and whose often-stunning animation is theatrical quality. Beauty, eh? Donald Liebenson

All Movie Guide

An old friendship is renewed and new bonds are forged as Kenai and Nita set out on the adventure of a lifetime in this animated, direct-to-video sequel to the 2003 Disney hit Brother Bear. When Kenai emerges from his first hibernation with a hearty appetite and a craving for the best spring berries around, he takes his younger brother Koda to Crowberry Ridge for a delicious feast. As Rutt and Tuke scour the landside looking for some female companionship, Kenai is surprised to find his childhood friend Nita venturing into the wilderness with a pressing problem that only Kenai can solve. It appears as if the amulet given to Nita by Kenai has much greater power than either of them had previously thought, and in order to marry, the old friends must travel back to Hokani Falls to burn the amulet together. Now, as the pair travel over icy mountain ranges and down raging rivers, the plan set into motion by the Great Spirits for Nita and Kenai slowly begins to come into focus. Jason Buchanan

Product Details

• UPC: 786936278231
• Source: WALT DISNEY VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound
• Editions: Dubbed
• Time: 1:13:00
• Sales Rank: 12,112

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