Brother Bear 2 ~ 2006
I was surprised when I first heard that Disney was planning a sequel to their 2003 film, Brother Bear. The film was not the commercial success that Disney hoped for and most people I know never even saw it. Personally, I enjoyed the film very much. It was beautifully done with a rich and unique story. However, I was not excited about the sequel (I am never excited by any of them really). I expected a half baked story with horrible animation. It is nice when Disney can prove me wrong.
To start off, the animation in Brother Bear 2 is superb, matching the original. The scenery is beautiful rich with imagery one would expect in Native American folklore. Then, there is the music provided by Melissa Ethridge. She does a stunning job with her style and wonderful lyrics. The vocals are provided by an all start cast including Patrick Dempsey, who lends his voice to the main character of Kenai (previously voiced by Joaquin Phoenix). Also in the cast is Wanda Sykes who had me laughing out loud. With many other talented Hollywood actors, the story is then brought to life.
The story of Brother Bear 2 is like a Disney recipe borrowed from previous films. Take a touch of Pocahontas, add a smidgen of Mulan, a chase scene from Tarzan, a death/ressurection scene from Beauty and the Beast (and Atlantis), add a surrounding story of two past friends reuniting and you have it. I am not trying to be cynical here ~ it was just all so very obvious. However, I did really enjoy this sequel. It even touched me once or twice (ok, three times). Yes, I teared up a little.
If you enjoyed the first film, then you will enjoy Brother Bear 2. Hell, I would even say buy it. It just surprises me that Disney would put the energy into a sequel when its parent film didn't do so well. I wish they would start putting this kind of energy into all the sequels. Actually, I truly wish they would just stop making sequels. But, you know that already.