Disney's "Bears" Movie Gaining Good Reviews, Raising Funds For National Park Projects

Published Date

May 5, 2014

Disney's Bears movie is funneling money into the national parks./Bears screengrab

Early returns of Disney's Bears movie are highly favorable, and ticket sales are helping with a number of projects across the National Park System.

"Amazing! I took my 15, 9, and 7 year olds and we all loved it. The scenery is captivating for adults, and the story is great for the kids, too," said Jolene Smith Efthemeou in a comment on Traveler's Facebook page.

Tina Brassinga added that "It was wonderful. Very sweet movie. Lots of beautiful cinematography. Really captured the spirit of the bears."

In an epic story of breathtaking scale, Disneynature's upcoming True Life Adventure 'Bears' showcases a year in the life of a bear family as two impressionable young cubs are taught life's most important lessons. Set against a majestic Alaskan backdrop teeming with life, their journey begins as winter comes to an end and the bears emerge from hibernation to face the bitter cold. The world outside is exciting'but risky'as the cubs' playful descent down the mountain carries with it a looming threat of avalanches. As the season changes from spring to summer, the brown bears must work hard to find food'ultimately feasting at a plentiful salmon run'while staying safe from rival male bears and predators, including an ever-present wolf pack. 'Bears' captures the fast-moving action and suspense of life in one of the planet's last great wildernesses'Alaska! Directed by Alastair Fothergill ('Earth,' 'African Cats' and 'Chimpanzee') and Keith Scholey ('African Cats').

A handful of negative comments on Traveler's Facebook page focused on the narration.

"It was good. A good story with no casualties and fantastic cinematography . The narrator could have been better but Morgan Freeman can't do them all," said Tom Ashford.

Lauren Glowacky said the "(C)inematography was excellent. Narration was just plain DUMB. Was expecting quality like PBS Nature or like March of the Penguins."

Disney, through its Disneynature subsidiary, contributed an unspecified porition of movie tickets purchased during National Park Week (April 18-24) to the National Park Foundation. Those revenues are targeted for programs that:

* Restore or conduct research on more than 400,000 acres of national park service land.

* Study and protect at least 75 species of animals and plants'many of which are endangered or threatened.

* Provide internships to more than 60 high school and college students to conduct authentic, place-based field research.

* Educate thousands of school groups, teachers, families and other park visitors on the importance of wildlife protection and habitat restoration.

* Support landscapes that range from the long-leaf pine forests of South Carolina to the slickrock country of the Colorado Plateau to the beaches of Hawaii.

'Disney has repeatedly demonstrated its incredible commitment to preserving and protecting America's national parks while simultaneously engaging our country's youth in these special places,' said Neil Mulholland, president and CEO of the National Park Foundation. 'We are excited to expand our collaboration and dramatically increase the critical impact potential thanks to Disney's generous contributions.'

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Submitted by mtgnppics on May 5, 2014 - 11:08am.

Saw it during earth week (so NPS would get the $). We just plain enjoyed it! It was great. Wonderful cinematography, great scenes, .... I was too immersed to bother critiqueing the narration. Was a very enjoyable movie.

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