Brother Bear: Disney’s Flawed Masterpiece

By Aaron Cole

December 7, 2025

            When talking about underrated Disney movies, films that often pop up are The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Treasure Planet, Atlantis, etc. The Disney movie that I always think about when not just talking about underrated films but over hated as well is Disney’s Brother Bear. It has a 37% on rotten tomatoes and I for the life of me don’t understand why. Sure, it has its issues, but I believe that the good parts far outweigh the lesser parts. The purpose of this essay is to give attention to what Brother Bear does right while also acknowledging how it slips up in some parts and analyzing how it could have been improved upon.

            The first part I want to talk about is the animation. Brother Bear has some of the most gorgeous 2D animation of any Disney movie. The movie takes place during the Ice Age in Alaska, and we all know Alaska is a beautiful place. The story artists went to Alaska, specifically Kenai Fjords National Park and Denali National Park. They also went to Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and Sequoia National Park. I haven’t been to Alaska yet, but I have been to Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Sequoia, and those parks are very beautiful. Those research trips paid off because animation was really able to capture the different landscapes as well as the beauty and majesty of Alaska.

             Another aspect of the movie that is not talked about enough is the music. Brother Bear has an extremely underrated score. The opening song “Great Spirits” by Tina Turner perfectly encapsulates the theme of this movie. The song “Transformation” from the Bulgarian Women’s Choir is probably one of the most impactful songs from Disney I have ever heard. I encourage anyone who listens to the song should also listen to the English version or at least look at its lyrics in English. Understanding the words really hits different and it perfectly describes Kenai’s character journey. I’ve heard that Phil Collins’ songs are a bit polarizing in this movie. It was during a time when Disney was transitioning away from characters singing their songs, so it might have taken a bit to get used to. For the most part, I like his songs and they tell the story well. There is only one moment where I think one of his songs are misplaced but I will get to that later.

            Another aspect about Brother Bear that does not get talked about nearly enough is the character of Denahi. For me he is one of the most underrated antagonists from Disney. Denahi and Kenai really act like brothers. After Sitka’s tragic death, he makes it clear to Kenai that he blames him more than he blames the bear for Sitka’s death, which to be honest is fair. I love that Denahi’s breaking point is Kenai’s supposed death. He initially tries to honor Sitka and follow his totem, but once he thinks Kenai is dead that all goes out the window. Sure, they may fight a lot, but that’s his little brother. It’s a no one hurts my sibling but me situation. Throughout the film he continues to get more desperate and go through greater lengths to kill Kenai when he’s a bear. Deep down he knows it’s pointless, but he just doesn’t know what else to do. Kenai’s facial expressions when Denahi is attacking him is really heartbreaking. It helps Kenai to fully realize how his selfish decisions have affected others. In another story, this could have ended very tragically, similar to the ending of The Wolfman (1941).

            One aspect of the movie I often see criticized is the character of Koda. I hear that a lot of people find him annoying. Sure, he can get a little annoying and cringey, but nowhere near enough to ruin the movie. He’s a kid, and let’s be honest, there are way more annoying kids out there. I know for a fact I was way more annoying and cringey when I was a kid. Some may say I still am that way. Koda captures the curiosity and friendliness as well as being easy to forgive as a kid very well. His heartbreak in learning about his mother’s death is handled well and also believable. I personally think he is well written. I wouldn’t say he is as good of a kid character as say, Lilo from Lilo and Stitch, but he is much better than most people give credit for.

            Now I am not blind, the movie is far from perfect. The tone can be inconsistent, and the humor isn’t that great. The comedic relief characters in Tuke and Rutt I wouldn’t say are too annoying, but they aren’t that funny either. However, I think the biggest fumble in the movie is when Kenai reveals to Koda that he killed his mother. The build up to Kenai realizing that the bear he killed was Koda’s mom was great, especially the horror in Kenai’s face when he realizes what he’s done. However, playing Phil Collins’ song “No Way Out” over Kenai’s confession was a mistake. It’s a good song, but it should have been played after Kenai revealed to Koda what happened to his mom. Playing the song over their talk did cheapen the scene a bit.

            Despite some of its missteps, I still believe Brother Bear is an underrated gem. While its humor isn’t the strongest, when a serious moment happens it really dwells in it. It isn’t riddled with jokes like many of today’s movies. While the tone shift of the beginning of the film to when Kenai turns into a bear is a little awkward, I think it finds it footing back when they get to the cave drawing scene. As an adult, that is probably the scene in the movie that stands out to me the most. Up to this point, Kenai believes that all bears are monsters. However, when Koda says that the humans are scary with their “pointy little sticks” and it pans to that drawing of the man with the spear attacking the bear, that along with the score just gives me chills. In a world where everyone is divided and each side sees each other as the bad guy, that scene is more relevant than ever. One of the phrases “We are all the same” from the song “Great Spirits” is another message that people desperately need to hear today. The movie teaches tolerance and not judging a book by their cover. Kenai is another character that I feel is severely underrated. I love his character journey and how his perspective slowly changes. I really enjoy Kenai and Koda’s relationship as well. It starts of as rocky, but it gets better and more believable as the movie goes on. The final scene between Kenai and Denahi is handled pretty well. There is good closure between them and Denhai is able to see the change in Kenai and the experience helps him become a better and changed man. I’ve seen this movie many times as a kid, and yeah, nostalgia certainly plays a factor in my enjoyment of this movie. Still, its messages are timeless and has only grown in relevance. For me the pros vastly outweigh the cons, and it will always be one of my favorite childhood movies.