Based on a picture book by Hans de Beer, Little Polar Bear is probably the most placid, wholesome and utterly inoffensive film I have ever seen. Resolutely aimed at very very young children, this politically correct tale follows Lars, the little polar bear of the title. He's a staunchly agreeable young fellow, who hasn't got a bad word to say about anyone. When he meets and befriends Robby the seal, Lars doesn't understand why polar bears and baby seals can't be friends. His family tries to make him see that small matters like the food chain have something to do with it, but Lars isn't buying it and determines to show everyone that bears and seals can get along together. Nice.
Although the targeted demographic is, I suspect, pre-school, you can't fault the message of Little Polar Bear: accept those who look and act different to you and protect the environment. One suspects however, that the filmmakers might have been a tiny bit ambitious, as kids old enough to digest the thematic content of the movie are probably more interested in seeing The Matrix Reloaded. Still, Little Polar Bear will keep the very young ones quiet for a while, and accompanying grown ups should enjoy the beautiful landscape visuals and might even get a chortle out of some of the supporting characters.
