There were several films this summer that I knew about and was looking forward to for months in advance: Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Village… But one movie appeared to me out of nowhere on a television preview in May, and since then it has topped my list of movies to see this summer. The title: Two Brothers. The first preview I saw led me to believe that the brothers in question were a tiger cub and the young boy with whom he lived. I soon learned that this commercial had only shown half the story, and the other brother was, in fact, another tiger cub, which only increased my desire to see the movie. So when it showed up in our dollar theater last week, I jumped at the chance to go see it.
I can’t help it. I’m a sucker for animal movies. In this one, the two tigers truly are the stars. At the beginning of the film, we are treated to several majestically photographed scenes of the cubs and their parents romping in their Edenic little corner of the jungle. Each of the tigers has a distinct personality, with Kumar, future circus tiger, a little daredevil and Sangha, future cherished pet, a timid Mama’s boy. Their idyllic lifestyle is shattered when, as is too often the case in such films, humans show up and ruin everything. Famed hunter Aidan McRory (Guy Pearce) is in the area, searching this time not for wildlife to shoot down but artifacts to cart away and sell at auction. As it happens, though, the tigers live in an ancient temple, leading to an inevitable encounter that leaves the father tiger dead and Kumar in the hands of McRory.
In spite of his reputation, McRory is a very likable character throughout the film. When he comes upon Kumar, he treats the cub with great gentleness, eventually earning his trust. A life with this hunter, it seems, would not be such a bad one for the young tiger. But circumstances forbid this, and instead the cub winds up with a group of not-so-friendly circus folk determined to turn him into the ruthless beast their ancient tiger has never been. Sangha, meanwhile, is left alone with his mother, who eventually succumbs to a trap, leaving the cub to be discovered by Raoul (Freddie Highmore), the sweet, adorable son of the Administrator with whom Aidan has a working relationship. While Kumar is miserable in his new circus cage home, Sangha has a pretty comfortable life with the boy he has grown to love until an unfortunate accident sends him packing to be part of the emperor’s managerie.
The majority of the film follows the tigers’ storylines separately. It alternates back and forth until the climactic moment when the two are finally reunited, a year later, in what is intended to be a fight to the death. This film includes quite a bit more dialogue than The Bear, director Jean-Jacques Annaud’s earlier film in a similar vein, but it still relies very little on words to convey the story. The most heartfelt moments need no words at all. The tigers are expressive enough in their natural state.
Humanity on the whole doesn’t come off so well. We see people acting in cruel and destructive ways throughout the film and are told at the end that fewer than 5000 tigers remain in the wild. But individuals fare much better, especially Aidan and Raoul. Both come across as very honorable, kind-hearted people, with Aidan having the additional virtue of having his worldview changed as a result of his relationship with Kumar, to the point of vowing to lay down his gun permanently. Yes, the movie does preach, and yes, the tigers are a bit anthropomorphic at times. But the gorgeous cinematography, the tigers’ engaging personalities, the heartwarming story and the worthwhile message combine to create a film well worth a trip to the theater for the whole family.
Two mischievous twin tiger cubs live a carefree life in an exotic jungle amidst beautiful ancient ruins. But one day, an act of fate forces them apart...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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