The opening scenes are in a conventional screen ratio of 1:85 to 1, but after Kenai becomes a bear, the colors deepen and the screen widens to 2:35 to 1, so you'd better hope your projectionist is on his toes. Given Kenai's prejudices about bears, he is extremely unhappy to be one himself, but soon he's getting bear lessons from little Koda (Jeremy Suarez), a cub who shows him the ropes. Kenai discovers from the spirit of Tanana that he must seek Eagle Sitka on a mountain where light touches the Earth, and Koda leads him on the mission -- perhaps because he really knows where the mountain is, perhaps for reasons of his own.

Before we see the Disney logo, Koda breaks the fourth wall in a post-credits scene. He tells the viewer that according to the state law life regulation, "no fish were harmed in the making of this film", referencing the American Humane Association warning "No animals were harmed in the making of this film." However he was proven wrong as an adult bear is seen chasing a salmon, the latter crying for help as the bear with an attempt to eat the salmon. Koda knows a gesture for cutting the camera, as he tells the cameraman "Cut!", but the camera was still rolling. He then sees that the bear has the salmon now, and this makes Koda cover the lens with his paws, so that the audience can't see the bear eating the salmon. But the fish is still heard eating, as the bear is heard burping. The movie then finally ends. Originally the film was supposed to be released in the spring of 2004 but Disney decided to release the film in the fall of 2003 because Disney thought of promoting Brother Bear on the Platinum Edition DVD release of The Lion King and due to production troubles with Home on the Range which took the spring 2004 release and ended up being one of the worst movies Disney created. In March 2001, Joaquin Phoenix confirmed he was cast in the film exclaiming, "Oh, but forget the Oscar nomination [for Gladiator]. The real pinnacle is that I'm playing an animated character in a Disney film. Isn't that the greatest? I play a Native American transformed into a bear. It's called The Bears. Don't call me a leading man. I don't care about that. I'm a leading bear. I am content!" [7] After the filmmakers heard his audition tapes for Finding Nemo, Jeremy Suarez was cast as Koda. [1]BROTHER BEAR is an unforgettable tale that explores the true meaning of brotherhood and what it means to walk in the footsteps of another. Jessen, Taylor (October 23, 2003). " Fraternal Obligation: Disney Revisits the Animal Picture with 'Brother Bear'". Animation World Magazine. Retrieved on July 6, 2015. On the VHS version of the film, it is was presented in the widescreen format (albeit letterboxed) rather than the pan-and-scan format. This also occurred in Home on the Range. This and Home on the Range are the only animated Disney films to be presented in the widescreen format instead of the pan-and-scan format on the VHS release (not counting the "Widescreen Edition Release" VHS of the Disney/Pixar film A Bug's Life).

The movie is set around 10,000 years ago at the latest at the very end of the ice age, as evidenced by the presence of Wooly Mammoths, and the mention of other fauna such as the Sabretooth Tiger (Smilodon). However, this means that despite the tact implications (especially with the use of the Inupiat language), the culture shown in the movie is not Inuit, as the ancestors of modern Inuit only arrived in America around 5,000 BC, several thousand years after the movie is set. However, the movie and its sequel display an archaeologically accurate depiction of Native Americans during the Upper Paleolithic era, as seen with the accurate clothing, settlements, the use of “Clovis” spear tips, the use of red ocher during ceremonies, and jewelry.According to Ruben Aquino, supervising animator for the character of Denahi, Denahi was originally meant to be Kenai's father; later this was changed to Kenai's older brother. [10] Byron Howard, supervising animator for Kenai in bear form, said that earlier in production a bear named Grizz (who resembles Tug in the film and is voiced by the same actor) was supposed to have the role of Kenai's mentor. [11] Art Director Robh Ruppel stated that the ending of the film originally showed how Kenai and Denahi get together once a year to play when the northern lights are in the sky. [11] Release [ ] Disney's "Brother Bear" is more mystical and New Age than your average animated movie about animals, although it does have a couple of talking moose and a cute cubby bear. It's ambitious in its artistry, incorporating images from prehistoric cave paintings and playing with the screen width. But it doesn't have the zowie factor of "The Lion King" or "Finding Nemo," and is sweet rather than exciting. Children and their parents are likely to relate on completely different levels, the adults connecting with the transfer of souls from man to beast, while the kids are excited by the adventure stuff.