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message in the movies
By Rev. Bruce Batchelor Glader
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Brother Bear
Rated G
Directed by Aaron
Blaise and Robert Walker. Animated Feature
Photo © Copyright Disney
Brother Bear
is a film that tries to combine a comin-of-age story with Native American
(in this case, Canadian / Alaskan) spirituality and cute talking animals.
Nothing really works. The story is set thousands of years ago when
mammoths and humans co-existed in the Great White North – for no other
reason than to set up a scene where our animal buddies ride on the back of
mammoths. Having a human turn into a bear to experience life “on the
other side” is not a bad idea – but when this metamorphosis includes a
world of anthropomorphic talking animals one wonders what is gained. This
is a story of three brothers of an Inuit tribe who encounter a bear one
day. One brother is killed while trying to fight off the bear, the second
brother is turned into a bear, and the third brother hunts down the second
brother believing that he is the bear who killed the first brother. And
all this is going on while the second brother (who has turned into a bear)
is on his way to the high place where he can be turned back into a man.
That is, unless the third brother kills him. Fortunately, he is helped by
the spirit of the first brother who comes to his aid. Confused? Imagine
how this will seem to a preschooler who expects an exciting Disney romp.
There is minimal story, little adventure, and much pretentiousness to
Brother Bear. There are some beautiful artistic touches, but most of the
animation is pretty pedestrian. No fewer than five screenwriters are
credited, which is never a good sign. Confusion reigns supreme, with a
“gag reel” of funny scenes during the closing credits – and a spoof of
political correctness after the credits are over! If you really want your
children to care about nature, take them on a walk in the forest before
the snow flies and stay far, far away from Brother Bear.
Halo and Pitchfork
Rating: Two halos.
(A sincere but muddled attempt to combine Inuit spirituality with a coming
of age story.) One pitchfork.
(A bear is killed offscreen.)
