Closest in tone to the serious Pocahontas, but with the talking animals of the Disney films of the ‘70s and ‘80s, the film can be a bit of a hard sell. It’s structurally solid, delivering a good take on the tried and true “walk in someone else’s shoes” plot. The animation is very good, as had become the norm for this period. The direction does lead to some pacing problems, particularly the opening segment which somehow feels both overly long and rushed at the same time, but the use of color and aspect ratio is fantastic. When main character Kenai is human, the world is presented in muted colors at a 1.66:1 aspect ratio. When he is transformed into a bear and begins to see the world as it really is, the pallet brightens and becomes far more lively and the image expands to the massive 2.35:1 ratio.
It is clear watching Brother Bear that the creators were reaching for something great. They wanted to make a sweeping film that dealt with some more mature themes. Unfortunately, they were not quite able to reach the heights they were grasping at. The result is a film that falls firmly in the “decent” range. It will likely be most enjoyed by adult audiences who will have the patience to make it through the initial stages and will be able to focus more on what was attempted, rather than the finished product. That’s not to say there isn’t enough here for younger viewers to get something out of it, but it is unlikely to become a favourite.
Up next: Home on the Range (2004)
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