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The Movie
In Brother Bear 2, Kenai emerges from his first hibernation hungry and eager to take his little brother Koda to Crowberry Ridge for the best spring berries. For those of you who didn’t see the original movie or didn’t add it to your DVD collection, Kenai is an American-Indian man who was magically turned into a bear so he could learn sympathy for the animals. At the end of the film he decides to stay a bear and take care of the cub Kenai whose mother he killed back when he was more insensitive. At least that’s how I remember it. Anyway, their moose pals, Rut and Tuke, have come down with a severe case of spring fever and are busy courting a pair of “moossettes.” But Kenai and Koda are immune, intent on following their plan. That is, until Kenai’s childhood pal Nita (voiced by Mandy Moore) shows up to complicate things. It seems a carved amulet Kenai gave Nita long ago has bound them to each other, and Nita cannot marry until they burn the amulet at their old stomping rounds at Hokani Falls. They set off together on a journey that renews their friendship and reveals that the Great Spirits have a plan of their own.
© Disney.
The main problem with the movie is the question of why a sequel to Brother Bear was even created. The film itself was not a flop, despite mixed critical reviews. In fact, Brother Bear made almost as much money in box office worldwide as Lilo and Stitch, released the year before and heralded as the savior to traditional animation. It seems the characters from Brother Bear just did not catch on with viewers like the omnipresent Stitch, merchandised to within a inch of his alien life. And while it is true that the Disney sequel machine is running out of movies to midquel, prequel, and sequel, I was a little surprised to see Brother Bear get the sequel treatment.
Another problem with the film is the absence of some of the key people involved in the original Brother Bear. Patrick Dempsey replaces Joaquin Phoenix as the voice of Kenai, and Melissa Etheridge replaces Phil Collins as songwriter. Phoenix added some edge and interest in the character of Kenai that Dempsey does not try to match. Collins is a glaring absence, as he gave Brother Bear a couple of memorable tunes. The song “Welcome to the Family” is all over the Disneyland Resort, being chosen for the theme song of the 50th anniversary.
The Goodies
There are two goodies available on the disc: “Behind the music of Brother Bear 2“, and “Trample off, eh! With Rut and Tuke.” The first featurette is an 8-minute rhapsody to Melissa Etheridge and her collaboration with Disney over many of the songs in the film. She takes Phil Collins’ place for the musical interludes, and the producers want to make sure we know that everyone on the project is just swell about it. Perhaps Collins was busy with Tarzan on Broadway to write new songs for Brother Bear 2, but his absence made me wonder about the quality of the disc before I even opened it. It’s never a good sign when such a major presence is missing in the sequel. Some may debate Collins’ talents in writing movie music, but without the continuity of his songwriting and vocals in the sequel, Brother Bear 2 feels awkward and even more like the ugly stepsister.
The game portion of the extras invites viewers to help Rut and Tuke answer trivia questions to collect “moose chips” (no, not that kind) to help the moose pals get a good seat to the Northern Lights show with their moose girlfriends. That’s a way too complicated setup for what is actually just some questions about nature and the movie itself. Players move around with the remote, and the questions are geared to those 6 and under. Like most of the recent DVD games released on Disney DVD, anyone over 7 will be bored stiff.
Interface
The main menu features animated clips of the main characters with the score from the movie in the background which repeats every 30 seconds or so. It’s simple but well done, and the menu itself is sparing so it’s easy for young kids to navigate.
Audio and Video
The audio and video are both excellent. The 1.78:1 Anamorphic Widescreen seems the norm for Disney’s recent direct-to-DVD releases. The good news is it’s possible to tell the difference between these DVDs and a typical Disney television show by the crisp images and rich colors, which is a comfort since one is shelling out good money for these sequels. The Dolby Digital 5.1 is quality all the way;, though there are no unusual sound effects that really need enhancing in this DVD.
The Final Evaluation
If you loved the original Brother Bear, you may like this film, though some of the key players from the first film are missing. If you are like me and scarcely (refraining from using the clichéd bearly pun there: hooray for me!) remember the original film, I predict you will be pretty indifferent. Will the kids like it? Perhaps children under 7; even more so if they have already seen the first movie. There’s enough slapstick moose hijinks in there to encourage some chuckles in the younger set. If you feel you must own this DVD, please don’t pay the full 29.99 retail price—I’m sure Costco or Wal-Mart has a better deal. Save your pennies for later this fall, when the latest Pixar and Disney Platinum Editions are out.
