‘Blabbermouse’ has a mostly positive outlook on Ain’t It Cool News. “Technically and visually, the film is not to be knocked: lots of impressive camera moves, multiplane and in-depth effects that complement rather than overwhelm the hand-drawn animation. The color schemes are downright beautiful, with subtle shifts that evoke the time of day or emotion of the moment.”
He writes in conclusion that “Even though I enjoyed the film, the shifts in tone between drama/action and comedy didn’t feel as organic, as natural as they could’ve been and made it hard for me to wrap my paws around it. Unfortunately, after the last few films that – for better or worse – explored some new territory, Brother Bear comes across as a play-it-safe effort. If it makes Disney a few bucks, look for them to stick with their magic formula again for a while.”

A nice objective view of the film, methinks. Read the full review here. The author’s got several other witty takes on the plot and characters – I especially like his take on the moose. Focus groups, indeed. LOL