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Brother Bear

EMAILPRINTBuena Vista Pictures / Walt Disney Pictures

Brother Bear reviews
48
7.1 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 28 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 20 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Adventure  |  Animation  |  Family/Kids  |  Fantasy

Written by: Steve Bencich
Ron J. Friedman
Broose Johnson (story)

Directed by: Aaron Blaise
Robert Walker

Release Date:
Theatrical: October 24, 2003
DVD: March 30, 2004

Running Time: 85 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: G for General Audiences

Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Suarez, Jason Raize, Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas, D.B. Sweeney, Joan Copeland, and Michael Clarke Duncan

The powerful and playful bond between brothers, and man's bond with nature, are explored with great drama and comedy in this exciting new animated tale of brotherhood, bears and breathtaking outdoor adventure. (Walt Disney Pictures)

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

75

USA Today Staff [Not Credited]

A sweet celebration of brotherhood in its many forms. It gently encourages human communion with animals, nature and our fellow man.

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75

Premiere Susannah Gora

While not a masterpiece along the lines of "The Lion King," and not a super-smart witticism-fest like "Lilo and Stitch," Brother Bear is deeply heartfelt, touching, and beautiful.

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75

ReelViews James Berardinelli

The end result is a pleasant experience that is more appropriate for families than for adults unaccompanied by young offspring.

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75

Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea

Although the story has more than a little Lion King deja vu-doo going for it, Kenai (voiced by Joaquin Phoenix) is likable as both a man, and then a bear.

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75

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

Sweet rather than exciting.

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75

San Francisco Chronicle C.W. Nevius

It is bearable, in every sense of the word, and that's worth something for parents looking for G-rated entertainment.

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70

Film Threat Kevin Carr

Predictable? Yes. Corny? Sure. But Brother Bear is still good, family fun.

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70

The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt

A playful movie that celebrates nature and the spirit world with striking imagery and a smooth blend of drama and comedy.

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67

Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold

Has an unforced, pleasingly New Age feel to it; an unexpected but satisfying ending (a la "Shrek"); and a script that -- despite its overdone, body-switching premise -- comes together to nicely convey a cogent, environmentally conscious moral lesson.

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60

Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan

Does have a satisfying ending and it's nice to see a G-rated film without bathroom humor, but there is too much formula and not enough reason to pay attention here.

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60

Empire Natasha Aitken

At times is heartbreakingly sad -- maybe not quite Bambi territory, but certainly moving in its own cute and furry way.

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60

Variety Todd McCarthy

A very mild animated entry from Disney with a distinctly recycled feel.

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50

Entertainment Weekly Scott Brown

Mark it: Phil Collins officially has nothing more to teach us. The tunes he's composed for Brother Bear are so generic, they're modular.

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50

New York Daily News Jack Mathews

Though Brother Bear is as beautiful as any of Disney's hand-drawn features, the gang-written script is deadly flat.

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50

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

All the old Disney trademarks are here, except the wit and surprise that were once the studio's stock in trade. There's little appeal to grownups, but kids should enjoy it.

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50

The New York Times Stephen Holden

This opulent movie, with gorgeous rainbow animation, is heavy on message but light on humor.

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50

Chicago Tribune Mark Caro

There's something vanilla about the whole enterprise, from the one-size-fits-all spiritualism to Phil Collins' generic world-music songs.

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50

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Stephen Cole

The oddest movie to come out of Disney since Herbie ran out of gas in Monte Carlo, Brother Bear is a cartoon about a boy who becomes a man by learning how to be a bear.

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50

Dallas Observer Luke Y. Thompson

Fortunately the film's humor kicks in with McKenzie Brothers Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas stealing the show as a dopey pair of moose. Could've done without Phil Collins's generic, annoying tunes.

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50

Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman

After the box-office failures of "The Emperor's New Groove" and "Treasure Planet," I wonder whether Brother Bear might not be the last traditional bit of Disney animation for a while.

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50

Chicago Reader J.R. Jones

Blaise and Walker cleverly widen the aspect ratio as the hero's consciousness changes and make some lovely pictures of the northern lights, but the atrocious Phil Collins score (with a vocal by Tina Turner) filled me with evil spirits.

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40

The Onion (A.V. Club) Keith Phipps

Unfortunately, Brother Bear doesn't offer much to marvel at beyond its animation.

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40

TV Guide Angel Cohn

While the hand-drawn animation is visually appealing, the story is completely predictable and Phil Collins's music lacks the impact of his Oscar-winning "Tarzan" tunes.

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40

Village Voice Ben Kenigsberg

Tykes may giggle at the Rick Moranis/Dave Thomas–voiced moose, but there's little for adults.

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38

New York Post Lou Lumenick

An uninspired recycling of themes that were far more gripping in "The Lion King" and countless other earlier Mouse House classics.

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38

Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach

Lackluster in narrative and in no way original or innovative, the movie is pretty much generic Disney, a film about universal brotherhood stitched together from parts that worked better in other films.

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30

LA Weekly Ella Taylor

Today's street-smart moviegoing kids don't need to be so shamelessly pandered to.

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30

Austin Chronicle Marrit Ingman

The characters are mechanisms who move along the plot arc from Point A to Point B. They’re not particularly memorable individuals.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 7.1 (out of 10) based on 20 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jared C gave it a0:
This animated movie is special, its unexpected, mysterious, and interesting. A very appealing movie with hysterical humor. But disappointing as it is, a too short of a film, and a little bit of a weirdo (because it doesn't ever try in anything to make a good movie), it just happens, the movie is the movie. But for my eye, it isn't good enough, I found it a huge letdown for I, myself, and its reputation.

Tony M. gave it a 10:
This Waz One OF The Best Movies Ive Seen This Year I Think It Shows Alot About Brother Hood And That it is so cute how kenai then best bear in the intire world is so cute his fur and eveything is just so cute about him And Koda to waz also one of the cutest things in the whole world Joaquin Phoenix and Jeremy Suarez r two of the best chracters in the whole intire world they just did a good job over the bears voices.

Zu Xian T. gave it a 9:
A great show for family to watch... a pure and dramatic show which shows you brotherhood would be like... we muz learn to forgive and forget to make peace in the world... i really loves this show as it was damn touching and funny too.

K. C. gave it a 10:
Wonderful movie for the entire family. Don't believe the critics ratings. How many of them took their family to the movie?

Jackie gave it a 10:
This movie was adorable. I was watching it on a field trip. And it shows you are what you are. Koda was adorable.

Rita B. gave it a 10:
I love this movie! It's the cutest movie in the world! 10 thumbs up :)

John C. gave it a 2:
Cute, ahh cute. nonthing at all original. disney trying to teach us once again the ways of some unknown people and i know they mean well, wait it is disney no i don't, but i feel like they are shoveling bs into us and probably over simplifing something a lot more complex. at the end of the day though the movie is cute.

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