Brother Bear

See through another’s eyes, feel through another's heart, and discover the meaning of brotherhood.

2003 • 85 min • Adventure · Animation · Family

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Synopsis

When an impulsive boy named Kenai is magically transformed into a bear, he must literally walk in another's footsteps until he learns some valuable life lessons. His courageous and often zany journey introduces him to a forest full of wildlife, including the lovable bear cub Koda, hilarious moose Rutt and Tuke, woolly mammoths and rambunctious rams.

Our family guide

Best from age 6

Movie Knight Score

5821 reviews

100 Reviewers · 2 · 51%
73 Audience · 5819 · 49%

When a young man is transformed into a bear, he must learn to see the world from a new perspective. He bonds with a playful bear cub and discovers the true meaning of brotherhood. This animated adventure explores themes of empathy and family.

Violence & peril: 3/10
Language: 1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 0/10
Romance & sensuality: 0/10
Scary moments: 3/10

Heads up

Loss of a parent is a central plot point
Some peril from natural elements and other animals
Cultural elements might prompt questions

What it models well

Empathy and understanding
Family bonds
Respect for nature
Personal growth

Talk about it after

Different perspectives
Consequences of actions
Dealing with grief and guilt
Animal welfare

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for Brother Bear. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

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Top billed cast

Director: Aaron Blaise, Robert Walker • Crew: Tab Murphy, Lorne Cameron, Nathan Greno, Kevin Deters, Thom Enriquez, David Hoselton, Ron J. Friedman, Steve Bencich, Stevie Wermers-Skelton, John Norton, Broose Johnson, Woody Woodman, Kevin Harkey, John Puglisi

Trailers & clips

Brother Bear (2003) 35mm film trailer, flat hard matte, 1440p

Reviewer notes

Recommended
"Kenai" is a young Inuit warrior who disturbs the spirits when he kills a bear. His punishment is to be turned into one himself, and be left to wander the wilderness alone. Luckily, he encounters the young cub "Koda" who thinks he might know the exact spot where "Kenai" might be restored to his humanity. What doesn't help their quest is that his human brother "Denahi" thinks that "Kenai" has been killed by a bear,...
Geronimo1967, TMDB Community

Recommended
Heartwarming, if not as impactful as it intends to be. <em>'Brother Bear'</em> leaves heartfelt feelings and features a cute story. It does get a bit too melancholic in moments where it doesn't need to be or where it's not set up perfectly. It can also feel a little predictable, but the twist is decent enough. Animation-wise it's fine, while that early aspect ratio stuff is oddly done. The voice cast aren't ...
r96sk, TMDB Community