November 1, 2003
Brother Bear is a 2003 American animated musical fantasy comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 44th Disney animated feature film, it was directed by Aaron Blaiseand Robert Walker (in their feature directorial debuts) and produced by Chuck Williams, from a screenplay written by Tab Murphy, Lorne Cameron, David Hoselton, and the writing team of Steve Bencich and Ron J. Friedman. The film stars the voices of Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Suarez, Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas, Jason Raize (in his only film role), and D.B. Sweeney. Brother Bear follows an Alaska nativeboy named Kenai as he pursues a bear and kills it, but the Spirits, incensed by this unnecessary death, change Kenai into a bear himself as punishment. In order to be human again, Kenai must travel to a mountain where the Northern lights touch the earth.
The film was the third and final Disney animated feature produced primarily by the Feature Animation studio at Disney-MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida; the studio was shut down in March 2004, not long after the release of this film in favor of computer animated features. The film, which was released in the United States on November 1, 2003, received mixed reviews from critics and received a nomination for Best Animated Feature at the 76th Academy Awards, losing to Pixar's Finding Nemo. The film grossed $250 million against a $46 million budget. A direct-to-video sequel, Brother Bear 2, was released on August 29, 2006.
Storyline[]
In a post-ice age Alaska, the local tribes believe all creatures are created through the Great Spirits, who are said to appear in the form of an aurora. A trio of brothers, Kenai, the youngest; Denahi, the middle; and Sitka, the eldest, return to their tribe in order for Kenai to receive his totem, necklaces in the shapes of different animals. The particular animals they represent symbolize what they must achieve to call themselves men. Unlike Sitka, who gained the eagle of guidance, and Denahi, who gained the wolf of wisdom, Kenai receives the bear of love. He objects to his totem, stating that bears are thieves, and believes his point is made a fact when a brown bear steals their basket of salmon. Kenai and his brothers pursue the bear, but a fight ends on top of a glacier, during which Sitka gives his life to save his brothers by dislodging the glacier, although the bear survives the fall. After Sitka's funeral, an enraged Kenai blames the bear for Sitka's death. He hunts down and chases the bear up onto a rocky cliff, fighting and eventually slaying it. The Spirits, represented by Sitka's spirit in the form of a bald eagle, arrive and transform Kenai into a bear after the dead bear's body evaporates and joins them. Denahi arrives and, falsely believing that Kenai was killed by the bear from earlier, vows to avenge Kenai by hunting it down.
Kenai falls down some rapids, survives, and is healed by Tanana, the shaman of his tribe. She does not speak the bear language, but advises him to return to the mountain to find Sitka and be turned back to a human, but only when he atones for his actions; she vanishes without an explanation. Kenai quickly discovers that the wildlife can now speak to him, meeting a pair of moose brothers named Rutt and Tuke. He gets caught in a trap, but is freed by an outgoing bear cub named Koda. They make a deal: Kenai will escort Koda to an annual salmon run and then the cub will lead Kenai to the mountain. Along the way the two eventually form a brother-like relationship. While riding on the backs of a mammoth herd, Koda reveals that his mother is missing. The two are hunted by Denahi, who is still determined to avenge Kenai, unaware that the bear he is pursuing is actually Kenai himself. Eventually, Kenai and Koda reach the salmon run, where a large number of bears live as a family, including the leader Tug. Kenai accepts his new surroundings and is comfortable living with the other bears. During a discussion among the bears, Koda tells a story about his mother recently fighting human hunters on a glacier, reminding Kenai of his and his brothers' fight with the bear that led to Sitka's death, making him realize that the entire time, the bear he killed was Koda's mother.
Horrified of what he has done, Kenai runs away in a fit of guilt, but Koda soon follows him. Downhearted, Kenai confesses the truth to Koda, who runs away, grief-stricken that Kenai was responsible for his mother's death out of avenging Sitka. An apologetic Kenai leaves to reach the mountain. Meanwhile, Rutt and Tuke, having had a falling-out, reconcile in front of Koda, prompting him to forgive Kenai. On the mountain, Kenai is cornered by Denahi, but their battle is interrupted by Koda, who steals Denahi's spear. Kenai sacrifices himself for Koda, out of love, prompting Sitka to appear and turn him back into a human, much to Denahi and Koda's surprise. However, upon realizing that Koda needs him because of his own mistake, Kenai asks Sitka to transform him back into a bear with Denahi's support. Sitka complies, and Kenai is transformed back into a bear. Koda is reunited briefly with the spirit of his mother before she and Sitka return to the spirit world. In the end, Kenai lives with the rest of the bears and gains his title as a man, through being a bear.
Also See[]
Movie Trailer[]
Sound Effects Used[]
- Hollywoodedge, Bear Grizzly GrowlsB AT031601
- Hollywoodedge, Bear Grizzly Roar Sin AT030301/Hollywoodedge, Kodiak Bear Roar Brea PE931608
- Hollywoodedge, Bird Hawk Single Scre PE020801/Hollywoodedge, Hawk Screech Single AT082901
- Hollywoodedge, Eagle Bald Chirps Cal AT082601
- Hollywoodedge, Elephant Single Clas AT043701
- Hollywoodedge, Elephant Trumpeting PE024801
- Hollywoodedge, Giggling Two Childre PE131001
- Hollywoodedge, Hawk Redtailed Scree AT082801
- Hollywoodedge, Leopard Snarl Fast CU AT012201
- Hollywoodedge, Medlow Pitch Boing CRT015902
- Hollywoodedge, Tiger Growl Sharp Thr AT019401
- Hollywoodedge, Wapiti Elk Call Singl AT049001
- SKYWALKER, HUMAN - BIG BELCH (The very last sound heard in the film, at the end of the outtakes.)
- SKYWALKER, WIND SOUNDS
- Sound Ideas, ANIMAL, BEAR - GROANING, GRUNTS, GROWL, ROAR
- Sound Ideas, ANIMAL, BEAR - SNARLING, GROWLS, ROAR
- Sound Ideas, ANIMAL, CREATURE - LARGE ANIMAL GROWL 05 (Used for Koda's mom in Koda's bakcstory.)
- Sound Ideas, BEAR - LOUD ROAR, ANIMAL
- Sound Ideas, BITE, CARTOON - BIG CHOMP
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, BIRD - HEAD BONK BIRDS CHIRPING (Heard once in the end credits.)
- Sound Ideas, FART - LARGE FART, HUMAN 05 (Heard twice in "Koda's Outtakes".)