Barnes & Noble

Nominated for an Academy Award, this mystical coming-of-age fable offers a compelling story, some awe-inspiring animation, a menagerie of cute and comical critters, and power anthems by Phil Collins. Brother Bear also marks, if not the end of an era, at least an interruption, as Disney famously closed its Florida animation studio after completing the production. The film's lead character is Kenai, an Ice Age youth eagerly awaiting his manhood ceremony, where he will be given the totem that is said to guide its owner through life. Kenai is disappointed that his totem is "love," even though it's regarded as the most precious of all. But what's love got to do with it when a bear kills his brother? The vengeful Kenai hunts the beast down and kills it, only to be transformed into a bear himself. Here, in the theatrical version of the film included in this two-disc set, the movie goes through its own transformation; a Wizard of Oz-like demarcation at the 24-minute mark when the aspect ratio widens to reflect Kenai's new, ursine perspective. En route to a mountaintop where his late brother's spirit may return him to human form, Kenai is joined by Koda, a frolicsome young bear who shows Kenai the ropes. Though Kenai insists that Koda "keep all the cuddly bear stuff to a minimum," it is not long before the feisty and adorable cub inspires a change of heart in Kenai. SCTV fans will delight in two tag-along moose characters, Rutt and Tuke, voiced by the McKenzie brothers themselves, Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas. Beauty, eh? The funniest moose since Bullwinkle, they also provide the commentary, which alone is worth the price of purchase. If it is true that Disney has decided to forsake for the foreseeable future traditional cel-animated features, then Brother Bear is a triumphant swan song -- or bear song, if you prefer. Donald Liebenson

All Movie Guide

In the Disney-animated adventure Brother Bear, Joaquin Phoenix provides the voice of Kenai, a young Native American boy whose brother is killed by a mother bear protecting her cubs. With revenge in mind, Kenai sets out into the woods only to find himself magically transformed into a bear himself, and is joined in his journey by a young orphan cub named Koda. Seeing the world through the eyes of his prey, Kenai is forced to learn a lesson about nature and life. Brother Bear also features the voices of Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas as characters that are reminiscent of their McKenzie brothers from SCTV. Matthew Tobey

Product Details

• UPC: 786936224023
• Source: WALT DISNEY VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Aspect Ratio: Vistavision (1.66:1), Cinemascope (2.35:1)
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: DTS 5.1-Channel Surround Sound, THX-Supervised Mastering, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
• Language: English, Français, Español
• Time: 1:25:00
• Sales Rank: 18,104

Features:

DVD MENU