And then there's the script by no less than five writers (Tab Murphy, Lorne Cameron, David Hoselton, Steve Bencich and Ron J. Friedman). It's kind of cute -- but just not cute enough. Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas voice the parts of Rutt and Tuke, a pair of buffoon moose who get most the story's few laughs. Rutt and Tuke are a comic duo who clearly want and deserve their own movie.

The story, set in the Pacific Northwest just after the end of the last Ice Age, concerns Kenai (voiced by Joaquin Phoenix), a Native American lad who is going through the ceremony that leads to manhood. He's a headstrong youth who ends up getting himself transformed into a bear. Jeremy Suarez voices the part of Koda, the bear cub who becomes Kenai's comical sidekick.

Most of the story is basically recycled material. The movie wants us to believe that its message is: "Love is very powerful," but most of the story is devoted to Kenai learning that animals view hunters as monsters and that killing animals is bad. Given the relative scarcity of corner grocery stores 10,000 years ago, Kenai and the rest of his tribe would be hard pressed to survive without hunting.

BROTHER BEAR runs 1:25. The film is rated G and would be acceptable for all ages.

My niece Liana, age 6, laughed a lot during the movie. Her favorite characters were Koda and the two moose. Her brother William, age 9, said that he thought the movie was pretty good.