The Bear

source: The Bear

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It's 1885 British Columbia. A cub and mama bear are digging in a rocky hillside for a beehive. The rocks come loose and the mama bear is killed in a landslide. The cub is alone in the world. Tom (Tchéky Karyo) and Bill (Jack Wallace) are bear hunters for their fur. They are tracking a large male Kodiak. The cub befriends the large male. The hunters capture the cub. The large male corners Tom in the climatic confrontation. It's a bit of animal adventure from director Jean-Jacques Annaud. An adult male would just as likely to eat the cub. Annaud tries to humanize the bears. It's harsher than the normal Disney family movie. It's probably not recommended for little kids. The big confrontation with Tom is a compelling bit of cinematic visual. Other than that scene, I would suggest a National Geographic show about bears.

From the first moment when you see the little bear and his mom digging for honey I was entranced with this film. The whole aura of life in the wild- the mountain lions that prey on other animals and the bear is certainly an omnivore! I don't know how the filmmakers got all that great footage but I enjoyed seeing life through the eyes of the orphaned cub. The scenery is breathtaking. The hunters were almost an intrusion in the film, but in the end they helped to bring the story full circle. This film was recommened to me by a man who never reads, he waxed so about this film I had to see it and I agree it is both a nature film and an allegory on life.