Brother Bear (2003)

Academy Awards, USA 2004

Nominee Oscar

Best Animated Feature Aaron Blaise Robert Walker

Buena Vista Pictures
Directed by Aaron Blaise and Robert Walker
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(DVD, Disney)

The youngest of three brothers in an Alaskan tribe receives his totem, a bear representing love, which causes him much embarrassment. However, when his eldest brother is killed shortly afterwards in a fight with a bear he rejects his totem entirely and sets out to kill the bear. He does so, but the spirits change him into the bear instead. The last remaining brother sets out to avenge his death, little realizing the bear is actually his brother. As a bear, he befriends an orphaned cub and they make a long trek to a river where other bears are feeding on salmon. There is a surprising revelation about the cub, then his human brother shows up to kill him, leading to more soul searching. He eventually must choose between life as a bear or a human. Vivid animation, one of the last by Disney in the traditional style, is let down by a confusing story and unnecessary comic relief by a couple of Canadian moose (Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas).