I can get behind the idea of Disney releasing a film of such quaint stature as Bears amidst its slate of flashier attempts at attracting family dollars. It was once upon a dream that ol’ Uncle Walt had a notion of astounding viewers with nature’s splendor, turning their gaze toward the wonders of the wild. After the success of March of the Penguins showed that kids still had an appetite for seeing animals just doing what they do, the House of Mouse soon got into the act, inaugurating its own series of nature documentaries tailored for the entire brood. Bears is the latest installment of this fauna-based franchise, though in spite of its lovely cinematography being par for the course, the movie’s efforts to force a story upon the footage make it rank among the weakest entries. It’s no easy task to lighten up a dramatic survival story for the little ones, but as the flick fails to conjure an engaging turn of events, perhaps some more tough love is what it could’ve used.

Our adventure takes off in the snow-capped peaks of Alaska, where mama bear Sky and her family have just stirred from a long winter’s nap. With her cubs Amber and Scout in tow, Sky embarks upon the harrowing journey to get the one thing anyone could use after a hefty hibernation: food. These mighty beasts traverse hill and dale, surviving on tidbits like mussels on their way to a spot where scores of salmon converge to spawn every year. But not only do the elements present a challenge, so do other bears, who guard their turf closely and scare off Sky from scoring some of the catch for her clan. As spring creeps on into summer, hope of finding enough food to nourish her young seems awfully scarce for Sky, but she has no choice but to press on and trust that her family’s salvation is just over the next mountain.

The people behind Bears really outdid themselves in making the movie feel as folksy and inviting as possible. Sky’s cubs are awarded tons of adorable close-ups, the easy-listening likes of Phillip Phillips fill the soundtrack, and John C. Reilly brings an added homey feel as he takes on narrator duties. Bears really cranks up the warmness and rustic charm…yet it ends up doing so to a fault. It largely sidesteps the consequences and harsh realities that other nature documentaries address more often than not; when the situation starts to look even remotely grim, trust the film to bust out the reassurances pronto. But even outside of generally shying away from showing anything too rough for the little ones to handle, the way Bears is assembled does away with a good chunk of danger on its own. The passage of time is handled so awkwardly, leaving one with the impression that Sky and her cubs are just days away from starvation, even though we see seasons pass in which the family appears presumably hunky-dory otherwise.

But the biggest blunders that befall Bears are its poor and mostly unnecessary attempts to cram its footage into a traditional narrative mold. In addition to Sky and company, other animals like wolves and rival bears that emerge get character names and almost outright back stories. However, none of it really means anything in the end, and in some cases, the story contradicts itself, as when one grizzly deemed an “outcast” in one scene is shown to be regularly mingling with the pack throughout the running time. This is all done to make the experience less abstract and more welcoming for younger viewers, and in all fairness, they’re likely to be kept entertained, especially by Scout and Amber’s playful antics. Dad and Mom will certainly appreciate the visual workout that their Blu-ray players will get, as the photography looks as grisp and gorgeous as any of Disney’s other cinematic efforts at going au naturale. That said, even with the pretty imagery and well-intentioned themes of the importance of family, the film is best viewed with the sound off, lest you run the risk of Reilly’s constant commentary driving you up the wall.

Mother Nature deserves a better commercial than Bears. It’s fantastic to look at, and kids will be occupied watching cute animals romp around, but its value ends there, with the remainder consumed by a lot of goofing around that wears out its welcome pretty fast. As much of a feast for the eyes as it may be, the lack of meaningful content Bears has to offer may drive viewers into their own grand-scale slumber.

BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:

-Behind-the-scenes featurettes

-A music video for “Carry On” by Olivia Holt

-A DVD copy of the feature film

(Released by Walt Disney Studios and ratee "G" by MPAA.)