TWO BROTHERS

From Jean-Jacques Annaud, the acclaimed director of The Bear, comes a motion picture event for the whole family. Set not so long ago in a distant land, Two Brothers is the story of twin tiger cubs - one shy and gentle, the other, bold and fierce - who are born among the temple ruins of an exotic jungle, but are one day separated by fate. The bold brother is sold off to a circus, where homesickness and living in a cage rob him of his spirit. The shy cub becomes the beloved companion for the governor's lonely young son, until an accident forces the family to give him away to a man who resolves to break his gentle nature and turn him into a fighter for sport. When they are fully grown, the brothers find themselves reunited - but as forced enemies pitted against each other. An epic adventure story about the power of friendship, the bond between brothers and the spirit that connects us all, Two Brothers stars Guy Pearce (Memento, L.A. Confidential) as the adventurer whose tragic intervention into the idyllic lives of the twin cubs forever intertwines their fates. Two Brothers was filmed on location in Cambodia and Thailand. The screenplay was written by Jean-Jacques Annaud and Alain Godard (The Name of the Rose, Enemy at the Gates) from an original story by Annaud. Rated PG for mild violence.

HERE'S WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT THE MOVIE...

This is the story of magnificent creatures gorgeously photographed in a story that is quietly told and touching. The images are beautiful, with breathtaking close-ups of the twin tigers, who are expressive both as frisky cubs and as adults. The story is told from their point of view and some of the best moments are ones with no dialogue. The human characters are vivid enough to give the story more depth but not so much that they interfere with the journey of the heroes of the movie, Sangha and Kumal.

There have been a lot complaints that this movie is too harsh. My eleven year old daughter handled the harsh scenes far better than I did (you have to understand that I can barely make it through Lassie Come Home without breaking into in tears). Parents should know that the movie has some very sad and tear jerking moments and some violence, mostly off-screen. The tiger cubs' father is killed and their mother is shot and wounded. Sangha mauls a dog (we only hear about it) and Kunal is beaten by a cruel circus animal trainer (off camera).

This is a very heart-warming movie! This movie will move your heart in both the good moments and the harsh moments. Don't complain about the cruel treatment you see in this movie because that's the way it is in real life, that is why these beautiful creatures are endangered. If anything, this movie should motivate people to do something about it and learn to appreciate nature a little more before it’s too late.