The Bear

1988 • 96 minutes

About this movie

Acclaimed account of an orphaned grizzly cub and a wounded Kodiak bear that join forces in their struggle for survival in 1885 Canada.

Ratings and reviews

For the pop culture of camping, many stories about man-eating bears have been told when people gather around the campfire. The most notorious species of bear in the North American wilderness is larger, more powerful, more bold, and more dangerous than the common american black bear: the giant brown bear or more commonly known as the grizzly bear (Ursus Arctos Horribilis). Released in 1988, This rare movie is not a documentary about animals, it is a family adventure drama about animals that provides the reality of these omnivorous predators (as well as wildlife in general and nature itself). In fact, the main protagonist is an orphaned bear cub (Youk the bear cub), and the supporting character is the adult male grizzly (Bart the Kodiak bear) who accepts the cub as his new adopted son. The main antagonists are two merciless hunters named Tom (Tcheky Karyo) and Bill (Jack Wallace) who hunt animals for sport, for props, and for greed. That is what makes this movie so unique and accurate. Predators are not the bad guys, humans are the bad guys and are a major threat to nature and wildlife. Bears are powerhouse creatures that demands a lot of space, a lot of respect, and they need to be left alone living free and in the wild. Not only that the themes of the movie are about respecting nature and protecting wildlife, but also about orphanhood, peril, and mercy. The direction by a French film director named "Jean-Jacques Annaud" provides the key to the film's success; minimal dialogue, the minimal use of the score, and a great sense of timing, so it kept me interested and it sucked me into their world. Jean has made "the bear" an unforgettable experience from one memorable scene after another and another; Every single scene is so dazzling and they never leave my mind. Another aspect that I love about this movie are the beautiful sights and sounds. For sight, the cinematography has pleasant scenery like mountains, forests, rivers, valleys, and meadows. And almost every shot that is framed is something that any artist (drawer or painter) will be amazed and copy off these shots and make them into a work of art. For the sounds, most of them are the peaceful ambience of the great outdoors in nature that creates a serene atmosphere like the wind, birds, insects, frogs, and the pitter patter of dripping water. But there are some louds sounds for dramatic effect, like the anxious breathing and distress calls of the bear cub, the whinnying of the horses, the whimpering and barking from the dogs, the yelling from the hunters, the explosive snarls of the mountain lion, and of course the thunderous roars and growls of the full grown grizzly. The effective score composed by Philippe Sarde is rarely used in some elements to elevate the film, that way it will enhance the emotion even higher. Most of the score is poignant orchestral music performed by the London symphony orchestra, but there are some parts of the score that are hypnotizing ambient music to reflect some elements. As a family film it is an utterly inspiring film that is age-appropriate for kids age 10 and up. In conclusion: engaging and majestic, "the bear" reveals the truth about the nature of wildlife and humanity, and it excels some of the best storytelling in the history of filmmaking. Highly recommended!

I love this movie and it is one I will always own and share. Bart the bear is one of my favorite animal actors and while my interpretation is one of growing up facing adversity and the lessons learned from nature and the instincts and memories that follow the bear cub as he annoyingly becomes a necessity in the grumpy wizened old bears life. I feel the little lessons that are everywhere in this film are important. The music, direction, artistic style and overall time and skills are top notch.

One of my favorite movies. Scene where bear scolds hunter when it could have killed him is a classic scene. Bart the bear excellent acting !🏆