“Brother Bear”

By David DiCerto
Catholic News Service

NEW YORK (CNS) -- A Native American boy on the cusp of manhood learns his place in the circle of life by becoming a bear in the delightful animated fable "Brother Bear" (Disney).

Directors Aaron Blaise and Robert Walker combine timeless themes with stunning scenery to craft an allegorical tale about love, forgiveness and man's fellowship with nature.

Set among Inuit tribesmen in the Pacific Northwest at the close of the Ice Age, the story centers on three brothers: Sitka (voiced by D.B. Sweeney), the eldest, Denahi (voiced by Jason Raize), and Kenai (voiced by Joaquin Phoenix), the youngest. The film opens on the day of Kenai's coming-of-age ceremony, a ritual during which Tanana (voiced by Joan Copeland), the tribal shaman, will bestow on the young warrior his totem -- a symbol revealed by the Great Spirits to help guide him through life.

At their initiations, Sitka and Denahi had received symbols of an eagle (representing guidance) and a wolf (for wisdom), respectively. Tanana presents Kenai with a carved bear -- the symbol of love. Kenai can't mask his disappointment over such a seemingly unmanly totem. Denahi adds insult to injury with some good-natured ribbing. Humiliated, Kenai impetuously steams off, ready to prove his bravery as a warrior by stalking a bear who had stolen a basket of fish left unattended during the rite.

When the confrontation with the ferocious beast turns deadly, Kenai is rescued by his two older siblings, but in saving Kenai's life, Sitka makes the ultimate sacrifice. The bear escapes and Kenai, against Denahi's counsel, vows to avenge their brother's death. Kenai manages to hunt down and kill the bear atop a mountain, yet at his moment of victory Kenai is transformed into the creature he just slayed. Denahi, who had been tracking Kenai, arrives at the scene right after the metamorphosis and seeing the bear -- whom he does not know is really his brother -- standing over Kenai's spear and shredded clothes, he assumes the worst. Forswearing his former pacifism, Denahi now takes up Kenai's vendetta.

Barely escaping with his life, Kenai learns from the wise Tanana that it was the spirit of Sitka who caused the transformation in order that Kenai learn an important lesson. She also tells him that the only way to change back into his human form is to travel to a sacred mountain "where the light touches the earth." With Denahi hot on his furry heels, Kenai, accompanied by a precocious bear cub named Koda (voiced by Jeremy Suarez), sets out on a journey of self-discovery, during which he learns that you can never judge another person -- or bear -- until you have walked a mile in his or her, er, paws. He also learns to live according to his totem -- love -- the gift of the Great Spirits which binds all things together.

While the main characters are engaging, the real scene-stealers are the hilarious bunch of prehistoric peripherals, including a pair of dimwitted moose with Canuck accents named Rutt and Tuke (voiced by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas) and two bighorn rams, whose “bada-bing” braggadocio suggests that their herd's migratory route passed through stone-age Brooklyn.

The Pacific Northwest of "Brother Bear" is a mythic unspoiled wilderness of rugged snow-capped mountains, fog-shrouded peaks, virgin forests and spacious skies, all wrapped in the celestial majesty of the aurora borealis -- or Northern Lights -- which are depicted as a balletic swirl of colors, through which dance a menagerie of ethereal animal spirits. Many of the film's breathtaking vistas evoke the primal beauty of an Albert Bierstadt painting.

And while the tide seems to be turning in favor of the digital slickness of Pixar films like "Finding Nemo," there is something inherently more inviting about the traditional hand-drawn, almost impressionistic images in "Brother Bear" that is lost in computer-generated animation. Though the film contains some intense scenes that may prove scary to tykes, violence is kept to a minimal, with much of it off-screen.

Regrettably, the beautiful visuals are buttressed by Phil Collins' uninspired score. Except for the rousing, percussion-heavy opening number, "Great Spirits," performed by Tina Turner, the film lacks any of the show-stopping numbers that made "The Lion King" an instant classic.

In "Brother Bear," Disney returns to familiar thematic waters, touching on coming-of-age issues and the emotional devastation caused by a parent's death. Based on traditional Native American folklore, the transformation tale is underpinned by an almost Franciscan spirituality which imparts a strong message about the interconnectedness of all living things, reminding us of our responsibility to live in harmony with the rest of God's creation.

Undoubtedly, the irony of this eco-friendly message will be lost on the Mouse Factory marketing execs, who will use it to sell burgers at McDonald's and deforest land to expand Disney theme parks -- take that, brother cow and sister tree!

The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G -- general audiences.

* DiCerto is on the staff of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.