*** Official BROTHER BEAR Review Thread (1 Viewer)

[Edwin Pereyra]

Even as Brother Bear uses Disney’s time-tested animated film blueprint, it is far from being a recycled product. It actually contains enough punch to make it a nice family film that should please both parents and their children. It moves at a very quick pace and its story about environmental kindness and brotherly love are messages worth telling especially to the young ones.

The music is scored by Phil Collins but unlike the catchy tunes he did for Tarzan, there are very few songs here that are worthwhile.

Astute filmgoers will notice that Brother Bear starts out in its windowboxed aspect ratio of 2:35 to 1. I was particularly perturbed that the theater’s side curtains were not drawn in to accommodate this and make the viewing experience a little easier on the eyes. But then 30 minutes into the film and after a critical point in the story, the windowbox is removed to reveal a more glorious presentation of its 2.35:1 aspect ratio for the rest of its 85-minute running time.

This choice may have been artistic license on the part of the film’s creators but I would have preferred that the windowbox not have been done in the first place. A majority of the viewing audience probably didn’t even notice the effect to begin with thereby making it a wasted effort but for those that do there is some uneasiness in the film’s first half hour. It is an effect that actually annoys than it does delights.

Even with its faults, Brother Bear can be enjoyed for its family fun entertainment with a good message or two.

~Edwin

 

[Robert Crawford]

This thread is now the Official Review Thread for "Brother Bear". Please post all HTF member reviews in this thread.

Any other comments, links to other reviews, or discussion items will be deleted from this thread without warning!

If you need to discuss those type of issues then I have designated an Official Discussion Thread.



Crawdaddy

 

[Tim Glover]

Saw this yesterday afternoon with my 2 daughters. We loved it. The sold out audience was really into it and laughed a great deal. A nice story with cute characters.

:star: :star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:

 

[Kristian]

I think it's unfair that a lot of critics are comparing Brother Bear to The Lion King. Despite what the ads may suggest, the two movies are completely different. I think this movie has far more in common with The Fox and the Hound, another underappreciated Disney film about brotherly love between members of two different species. Like Fox, Brother Bear focuses on the relationship between the two lead characters, a departure from the epic character-packed narratives of most other Disney films.

As expected from a traditionally animated Disney film, the animation was very beautiful. Particularly impressive were the sequences depicting the spirits. While the songs were not all that memorable, I really liked the score to the film. The voice acting was also very good.

The film's message, that we should try to see past our differences and share this world as brothers, is very powerful. I hope Disney reconsiders its decision to stop making traditionally animated films, because Brother Bear shows that there is still a lot of life left in this art form.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star: