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Brother Bear

Play trailer 2:01 Poster for Brother Bear G Released Nov 1, 2003 1h 25m Kids & Family Adventure Animation Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
37% Tomatometer 131 Reviews 66% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Kenai (Joaquin Phoenix) is a young Indian brave with a particular distaste for bears. When his brother Sitka (D.B. Sweeney) is killed by one, Kenai in turn kills the bear, only to be magically transformed into one himself. To make matters worse, his other brother Denahi (Jason Raize) vows to kill the bear Kenai has become. Kenai's only hope is a magical mountain where he believes he can be changed back to a human, and he enlists a real bear cub, Koda, to get him there.
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Brother Bear

Brother Bear

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Critics Consensus

Brother Bear is gentle and pleasant if unremarkable Disney fare, with so-so animation and generic plotting.

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Critics Reviews

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Sheila Norman-Culp Associated Press Disney hides the morality tale behind a rip-roaring soundtrack, goofy moose sidekicks and enough bear slapstick to delight any child. Jan 23, 2019 Full Review Neil Norman London Evening Standard While the animation itself (from the same team as Mulan) is charming and at times beautiful, the script is banal and uninspired. Jan 11, 2018 Full Review Nell Minow Common Sense Media Lackluster story only for kindergarteners. Rated: 2/5 Dec 22, 2010 Full Review Carson Timar ButteredPopcorn While the film can definitely be annoying in its comedy and have some misses such as the soundtrack, the emotional core of the film is still wildly strong with a moving and mature conversation that is honestly one of Disney's best. Jan 21, 2023 Full Review Sergio Benítez Espinof A succession of sequences already seen many times before that turn the film into a predictable trance. [Full Review in Spanish] Apr 29, 2020 Full Review Mark Steyn The Spectator Rough rule of thumb: the more an animated movie drones on about the Great Spirit, the less likely it is to have any great spirit. Feb 3, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Luke R. It’s a alright movie. Kenia is like the real villain of the movie. I like the bloopers scene on the other hand. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 07/05/25 Full Review Javier O. Brother Bear has remained my favorite Disney film since its release in 2003. The breathtaking art, powerful storytelling, and meaningful themes of family, nature, and spirituality come together seamlessly to create one of the most heartwarming animated movies ever made. Every song, especially those by Phil Collins and other featured artists, resonated deeply—tingling with emotion and purpose. It’s a beautiful reminder of how deeply connected we are to each other and the world around us. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/30/25 Full Review Christopher G. My childhood movie with bears and it may be underrated, it the best Disney has to offer Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/27/25 Full Review Ariel S A heartwarming story about love, loss, and transformation. The visuals are stunning, the music hits deep (Phil Collins strikes again), and the brotherhood theme never gets old. Childhood classic that still makes me cry. 🐻✨ Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/26/25 Full Review Stephen C Success in 1 hour and 25 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $85,300,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/19/25 Full Review Audience Member It’s ok nothing special Rated 3 out of 5 stars 06/08/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Brother Bear

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Movie Info

Synopsis Kenai (Joaquin Phoenix) is a young Indian brave with a particular distaste for bears. When his brother Sitka (D.B. Sweeney) is killed by one, Kenai in turn kills the bear, only to be magically transformed into one himself. To make matters worse, his other brother Denahi (Jason Raize) vows to kill the bear Kenai has become. Kenai's only hope is a magical mountain where he believes he can be changed back to a human, and he enlists a real bear cub, Koda, to get him there.
Director
Aaron Blaise, Robert Walker
Producer
Igor Khait
Screenwriter
Tab Murphy
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co
Walt Disney Pictures
Rating
G
Genre
Kids & Family, Adventure, Animation
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 1, 2003, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$85.3M
Runtime
1h 25m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby Digital, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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