Nice movie, not the best Pixar movie, but I really enjoyed watching it. Merida was a good character. Her relationship with her mother was excellent. The message of the film was excellent.
583 Reviews
Pixar's latest effort enchants us with stunning visuals, and charismatic characters, but misses the X factor that makes Pixar film's great
Joe_Chadowski25 June 2012
This should have been an easy review to write. Brave should have been a film that cemented itself as one of the all time greats, a necessary addition to any Top Films list. It should have been a film that claimed a place in our hearts as so many other Pixar films have in the past. But it's not. And writing this review is proving anything but easy. It's hard because I'm sitting at my Dell Latitude feeling bewildered at how a film from the best animation studio in the world left me feeling lukewarm at best.
A bit of background on the film first; this film went through two directors. After Brenda Chapman left the film for reasons I don't know, Mark Andrews was hired as a shoe in. This wasn't the first Pixar film to have multiple directors, just unplanned multiple directors. This is where my major problem with this film stems. Everything from Brenda Chapman is textbook Pixar class and charisma, but once Mark Andrews gets the reins (and you WILL know when it happens), the film takes an abrupt and uncomfortable shift towards the dark, and really challenges the boundaries of PG. It feels like two different films tacked on to one another with Gorilla Glue, it's as if the directors had no collaboration with each other. A real shame because up until it takes this dark turn, the rest of this film is a class act bursting with potential.
However to lament on the pitfalls is to ignore the positives. Pixar created two characters with copybook classic credentials in Princess Merida, and her father Fergus. Merida as the independent, self-confident, inurbane princess has a tongue-in-cheek charm and a personality that brings a genuine smile to your face. The other hero of character is Fergus, his character of a bumbling king with an overpowering queen is cliché, but he's executed brilliantly and is the provider of the majority of humor on Brave. Another immensely impressive aspect is its supremely dazzling animation aesthetics, the resplendent beauty of the Scottish countryside sometimes stealing scenes from its characters. Whether or not you agree that's brilliant is more subjective.
Now this may seem like the ranting of a spoilt wannabe movie critic weaned on delusions of grandeur, and hollow satisfaction from demeaning films with hype behind them, but I can assure you my size 10.5s remain firmly on the ground. This film is still a damn sight better than a majority of animated films out there, and it no doubt sets a new bar for animation quality other films won't be able to reach without a pole vault. I generally like this film and its good moments are plentiful and remind you why we love these films so much. Pixar films are utterly infectious when done correctly, Brave isn't up to the standards of their best, you won't fall in love with it, but forget the scale of its predecessors and you'll definitely be impressed by it.
A bit of background on the film first; this film went through two directors. After Brenda Chapman left the film for reasons I don't know, Mark Andrews was hired as a shoe in. This wasn't the first Pixar film to have multiple directors, just unplanned multiple directors. This is where my major problem with this film stems. Everything from Brenda Chapman is textbook Pixar class and charisma, but once Mark Andrews gets the reins (and you WILL know when it happens), the film takes an abrupt and uncomfortable shift towards the dark, and really challenges the boundaries of PG. It feels like two different films tacked on to one another with Gorilla Glue, it's as if the directors had no collaboration with each other. A real shame because up until it takes this dark turn, the rest of this film is a class act bursting with potential.
However to lament on the pitfalls is to ignore the positives. Pixar created two characters with copybook classic credentials in Princess Merida, and her father Fergus. Merida as the independent, self-confident, inurbane princess has a tongue-in-cheek charm and a personality that brings a genuine smile to your face. The other hero of character is Fergus, his character of a bumbling king with an overpowering queen is cliché, but he's executed brilliantly and is the provider of the majority of humor on Brave. Another immensely impressive aspect is its supremely dazzling animation aesthetics, the resplendent beauty of the Scottish countryside sometimes stealing scenes from its characters. Whether or not you agree that's brilliant is more subjective.
Now this may seem like the ranting of a spoilt wannabe movie critic weaned on delusions of grandeur, and hollow satisfaction from demeaning films with hype behind them, but I can assure you my size 10.5s remain firmly on the ground. This film is still a damn sight better than a majority of animated films out there, and it no doubt sets a new bar for animation quality other films won't be able to reach without a pole vault. I generally like this film and its good moments are plentiful and remind you why we love these films so much. Pixar films are utterly infectious when done correctly, Brave isn't up to the standards of their best, you won't fall in love with it, but forget the scale of its predecessors and you'll definitely be impressed by it.
A Visual Feast and a Solid Pixar Film
Loving_Silence20 June 2012
Brave is a beautiful and moving new fairy tale that fits seamlessly into the genre; Princess Merida is a wonderfully multi-facted heroine; the film shapes itself around problems that are familiar and understandable and will be well-understood and appreciated by kiddos and parents alike; the supporting characters that are given the most attention are well-crafted (but too bad for those others that fall by the wayside). The visual effects are flawless, in my opinion, the best if all Pixar films.
Brave is at its best when it's smartly and charmingly changing what we think think a Disney Princess can be, but it wavers when it tries to somehow reinvent the Pixar wheel. The film lacks the trademark Pixar wit we've come to expect from the animation studio's productions, and some humor feels shoe-horned in for the sake of having some laughs; the directorial kerfuffle that took place in the middle of production is not overwhelmingly obvious, but there is a distinct laugh of singular vision driving the film and its tone wavers throughout.
It may not live up to the incredible standards of the Pixar brand, but Brave offers young audiences a lot of entertainment and adventure. Highly Recommended.
8/10
Brave is at its best when it's smartly and charmingly changing what we think think a Disney Princess can be, but it wavers when it tries to somehow reinvent the Pixar wheel. The film lacks the trademark Pixar wit we've come to expect from the animation studio's productions, and some humor feels shoe-horned in for the sake of having some laughs; the directorial kerfuffle that took place in the middle of production is not overwhelmingly obvious, but there is a distinct laugh of singular vision driving the film and its tone wavers throughout.
It may not live up to the incredible standards of the Pixar brand, but Brave offers young audiences a lot of entertainment and adventure. Highly Recommended.
8/10
Great
0U21 February 2020
A true best of both worlds for classic Disney and classic Pixar fans. It had already been many years since the acquisition, but for me this was the first time Disney's buyout felt like a positive direction for the animation pioneers. Filled with possibly Pixar's most attractive environments, character designs (Side note: Merida has my favorite character design of any animated human character. I mean seriously her hair alone is a thing of beauty.), and easily its best score, the studio does a deft send up of classic princess movies while instilling the pure feeling of magic they are known for though Scotland's rich Celtic lore and cryptic mysticism. Brave is a criminally underrated installment in the Pixar cannon that I hope grows in stature over the years. If Wreck It Ralph is Disney doing Pixar, Brave is Pixar doing Disney.
The CGI was incredible!
planktonrules21 June 2012
While I must admit that "Brave" is not among my favorite Pixar films, I was totally blown away by the computer graphics. To some extent this is to be expected--as years pass, the CGI is bound to get better and better. But it's more than that--the textures, colors and depth were all incredible and I was in love with the animation throughout.
As far as the story goes, it was a mixed bag. While I was thrilled to see a Pixar film with female leads AND featuring a mother-daughter relationship, the story itself seemed a bit shallow and flat. It wasn't bad, but never hit that emotional spot within that you'd find in "Up" or "Toy Story 3". Now this isn't to say it's bad---it just isn't among the very best of the studio and is STILL well worth seeing. It's especially nice to see a FEMALE protagonist--and one who does NOT need to be rescued by a prince! Incidentally, my daughter and her friend loved the film--and my bet is that girls would generally prefer this film but it's a lot of fun for everyone.
By the way, there is a cute inside joke in the film in which they mention someone being out of town at the "Wicker Man" ceremony! This could be a reference to the wonderful 1970s film (see this one--not the remake) or to the actual ancient ceremony. I actually had no idea that this was a real event until dlwagner sent me an email informing me of this--but I certainly did NOT expect to hear them talking about it in "Brave".
As far as the story goes, it was a mixed bag. While I was thrilled to see a Pixar film with female leads AND featuring a mother-daughter relationship, the story itself seemed a bit shallow and flat. It wasn't bad, but never hit that emotional spot within that you'd find in "Up" or "Toy Story 3". Now this isn't to say it's bad---it just isn't among the very best of the studio and is STILL well worth seeing. It's especially nice to see a FEMALE protagonist--and one who does NOT need to be rescued by a prince! Incidentally, my daughter and her friend loved the film--and my bet is that girls would generally prefer this film but it's a lot of fun for everyone.
By the way, there is a cute inside joke in the film in which they mention someone being out of town at the "Wicker Man" ceremony! This could be a reference to the wonderful 1970s film (see this one--not the remake) or to the actual ancient ceremony. I actually had no idea that this was a real event until dlwagner sent me an email informing me of this--but I certainly did NOT expect to hear them talking about it in "Brave".
Beautiful movie
emmathomde3228 July 2013
What a fantastic film that has gotten such a terrible backlash.
Reasons for backlash:
1)People hate princess films and according to them it is the same as the others. Well anyone with an iota of intelligence will tell you that each princess film has a different story, a different message and a different but ever so present soul. We live in a society where two characters who have the same hair color and different faces and different personalities are viewed by the masses of people to be identical and the same person because people are superficial and so this film has a princess and that one SINGLE fact makes the film the SAME as all other princess films. Oh how intelligence has plummeted.
2) This is story about tradition and myth. That is part of the core of the tale. We live in a society with no tradition or real culture other than pop culture. So obviously the turmoil of the leads will go over the heads of the masses. I have friends who have been in situations where they were forced to marry someone and refusal to do so would have ghastly consequences for their families. It is real and heart breaking. In our society however people sleep with a hundred people before and even after marriage and can marry and divorce as they please without giving a rat's ass for their families who could suffer the brunt of their decisions. We live in a selfish society so obviously putting ourselves in the shoes of or even imagining what Merida and her mother go through and their reasons will not register with millions. No one will understand how breaking tradition could have disastrous consequences. They have no idea how in other countries how tradition and culture is a backbone of societies other than ours. people cannot in our society put themselves into the shoes of others as we are too selfish. And that is the truth.
3) This story has legends and stories, myths, tales that guide our heroines. In a society without stories that date thousands of years, cautionary tales and tales of truths to guide us, i doubt the impact of that will reach the minds of the public. Though abroad many and i mean many nations have tales, legends that date back thousands of years before our country received its name. These tales would guide people and be sources of moral and brainy wisdom for the children and adults. So obviously that went over everyone's heads. People in other countries hundreds upon hundreds of years ago used these legends and myths, these tales, to grow as a people.And to this day people in such countries still tell these tales to their kids as a moral message, teaching and preventing history from occurring.
4) Apparently it has no humor and people want humor over substance. I mean anyone seen The Hangover trilogy. Well people loved it as it shows what society is all about and that is public mindset.
5) It is about a mother-daughter story, it has moral messages and a lot of deep meaning. Apparently that means it is 'cliché'. What an overused word by the pseudo intellectual pretentious idiots who lack profound sense and think substance and sweetness is cliché just because they are sick douches. Half the time they don't even know what it means. I mean these days the word cheesy is used to describe anything with substance, sweetness, kindness, soul and love. And so something with profound wisdom and sheer lovely heart is considered cheesy while on the other hand depraved psycho disgusting buffoonery is considered amazing. Oh how far moral and substance has fallen in this society and how pretentious pseudo-intellect has taken over. Wisdom and profound thought and substance is dead or according to the depraved superficial and supposedly know it all generation 'cheesy'. Our society is so egoistic and full of itself that it cannot be educated or told great messages since according to them, they know everything and no one should dare question that by putting a real message in a movie. Even if these people know nothing they still must be considered to be the greatest and smartest. People hate their families or have been so poorly raised and some in favor of pets or vice versa where pets are considered better family than people so obviously their hate for the real meaning of life and family and love which they look down upon is 'cheesy' and 'cliche'. Well that is society for you and i hope that great movies with substance don't get the boot in favor of what such people want.
Reasons for backlash:
1)People hate princess films and according to them it is the same as the others. Well anyone with an iota of intelligence will tell you that each princess film has a different story, a different message and a different but ever so present soul. We live in a society where two characters who have the same hair color and different faces and different personalities are viewed by the masses of people to be identical and the same person because people are superficial and so this film has a princess and that one SINGLE fact makes the film the SAME as all other princess films. Oh how intelligence has plummeted.
2) This is story about tradition and myth. That is part of the core of the tale. We live in a society with no tradition or real culture other than pop culture. So obviously the turmoil of the leads will go over the heads of the masses. I have friends who have been in situations where they were forced to marry someone and refusal to do so would have ghastly consequences for their families. It is real and heart breaking. In our society however people sleep with a hundred people before and even after marriage and can marry and divorce as they please without giving a rat's ass for their families who could suffer the brunt of their decisions. We live in a selfish society so obviously putting ourselves in the shoes of or even imagining what Merida and her mother go through and their reasons will not register with millions. No one will understand how breaking tradition could have disastrous consequences. They have no idea how in other countries how tradition and culture is a backbone of societies other than ours. people cannot in our society put themselves into the shoes of others as we are too selfish. And that is the truth.
3) This story has legends and stories, myths, tales that guide our heroines. In a society without stories that date thousands of years, cautionary tales and tales of truths to guide us, i doubt the impact of that will reach the minds of the public. Though abroad many and i mean many nations have tales, legends that date back thousands of years before our country received its name. These tales would guide people and be sources of moral and brainy wisdom for the children and adults. So obviously that went over everyone's heads. People in other countries hundreds upon hundreds of years ago used these legends and myths, these tales, to grow as a people.And to this day people in such countries still tell these tales to their kids as a moral message, teaching and preventing history from occurring.
4) Apparently it has no humor and people want humor over substance. I mean anyone seen The Hangover trilogy. Well people loved it as it shows what society is all about and that is public mindset.
5) It is about a mother-daughter story, it has moral messages and a lot of deep meaning. Apparently that means it is 'cliché'. What an overused word by the pseudo intellectual pretentious idiots who lack profound sense and think substance and sweetness is cliché just because they are sick douches. Half the time they don't even know what it means. I mean these days the word cheesy is used to describe anything with substance, sweetness, kindness, soul and love. And so something with profound wisdom and sheer lovely heart is considered cheesy while on the other hand depraved psycho disgusting buffoonery is considered amazing. Oh how far moral and substance has fallen in this society and how pretentious pseudo-intellect has taken over. Wisdom and profound thought and substance is dead or according to the depraved superficial and supposedly know it all generation 'cheesy'. Our society is so egoistic and full of itself that it cannot be educated or told great messages since according to them, they know everything and no one should dare question that by putting a real message in a movie. Even if these people know nothing they still must be considered to be the greatest and smartest. People hate their families or have been so poorly raised and some in favor of pets or vice versa where pets are considered better family than people so obviously their hate for the real meaning of life and family and love which they look down upon is 'cheesy' and 'cliche'. Well that is society for you and i hope that great movies with substance don't get the boot in favor of what such people want.
A quality change of fate for Pixar
lovgrena17 June 2012
Everything about Brave is different from the Pixar norm, save the unequaled attention to detail and quality.
The Disney-Pixar animated feature focuses on Princess Merida as she searches for a way to change her fate. In a journey of magic, adventure and family, the fiery Scot is launched into the ranks of the elite Disney princesses.
As odd and understandably foreign as the accents felt watching the early previews for the movie, the voice acting was executed following, creating very real characters that fit their animated molds perfectly. By the end of the movie, what once sounded foreign blended into the scenery and visuals to create a completely immersing environment.
In fact, amid the magic spells and tall tales of times gone by, it's the historical, Scottish feeling that made Marida's journey and transformation (and that of her mother) that much more tangible and familiar.
Underneath the folk-tale storyline lies the same life lessons that ring true for young and old. Though the movie heavily focuses on a mother- daughter relationship, it's not just for girls anymore than Mulan was. Merida is a true Disney princess, with gumption, heart and an uncanny connection with nature, but the story could have been told from a male perspective and rung just as true, making it easy to empathize with Pixar's first female lead.
As has been the case with almost every other one of their movies, the company has reinvented the standard for animated visuals. The environments are based on real Scottish landmarks, adding real depth to the story, and the colors are as bright as they are grounded, creating a wonderfully real world. Such visuals lend credence to the upcoming 3D re-release of Finding Nemo, though not much, but also show just how far the studio has come.
All of the elements put together, Brave is a different sort of movie than many were expecting. More focused on a single pair and their quest together, not to mention darker by far, the story of Merida was a leap of faith for the once small studio.
Many will have their doubts, left wanting another heart wrenching love story from Up or creative take on a beat to death genre like The Incredibles. That was never the purpose. Just as with every one of their award-winning films (Cars 2 notwithstanding), a new movie means a new chapter, new story and new style of film.
Taken for what it is, Brave is a remarkable step into a whole new style of movie, proving the creative teams at Pixar will continue to write their own fate.
The Disney-Pixar animated feature focuses on Princess Merida as she searches for a way to change her fate. In a journey of magic, adventure and family, the fiery Scot is launched into the ranks of the elite Disney princesses.
As odd and understandably foreign as the accents felt watching the early previews for the movie, the voice acting was executed following, creating very real characters that fit their animated molds perfectly. By the end of the movie, what once sounded foreign blended into the scenery and visuals to create a completely immersing environment.
In fact, amid the magic spells and tall tales of times gone by, it's the historical, Scottish feeling that made Marida's journey and transformation (and that of her mother) that much more tangible and familiar.
Underneath the folk-tale storyline lies the same life lessons that ring true for young and old. Though the movie heavily focuses on a mother- daughter relationship, it's not just for girls anymore than Mulan was. Merida is a true Disney princess, with gumption, heart and an uncanny connection with nature, but the story could have been told from a male perspective and rung just as true, making it easy to empathize with Pixar's first female lead.
As has been the case with almost every other one of their movies, the company has reinvented the standard for animated visuals. The environments are based on real Scottish landmarks, adding real depth to the story, and the colors are as bright as they are grounded, creating a wonderfully real world. Such visuals lend credence to the upcoming 3D re-release of Finding Nemo, though not much, but also show just how far the studio has come.
All of the elements put together, Brave is a different sort of movie than many were expecting. More focused on a single pair and their quest together, not to mention darker by far, the story of Merida was a leap of faith for the once small studio.
Many will have their doubts, left wanting another heart wrenching love story from Up or creative take on a beat to death genre like The Incredibles. That was never the purpose. Just as with every one of their award-winning films (Cars 2 notwithstanding), a new movie means a new chapter, new story and new style of film.
Taken for what it is, Brave is a remarkable step into a whole new style of movie, proving the creative teams at Pixar will continue to write their own fate.
Another Great Pixar Film
cadillac2022 June 2012
Brave is a film I've been looking forward to since I first laid eyes on it's beautiful trailer. It had everything a great Pixar film has: a wonderful setting, fantastic CGI, beautiful and interesting characters, and a lot of heart. In fact, Merida alone was such an interesting and adorable character, that it was instantly on my to watch list. Granted, this isn't Pixar's best, but that's holding it up to extremely high standards. As an animated film, however, this is a fantastic and fascinating film, a treat for the summer.
Brave tells the story of the aforementioned Merida, a young, Scottish princess whose life is controlled by her mother so that she can be shaped into a queen someday over the surrounding tribes. In an effort to change her fate and be free of her oppressive, but loving mother, she attempts to change her fate, and in the process makes a huge mistake. I won't get into plot details, as the trailer really doesn't give a lot away in terms of what this film is really about, but suffice to say, there is plenty of fun and adventure to be had.
Pixar always manages to create an interesting and unique tale, and this goes right up there with the best of them. Using the Scottish highlands is both an inspiring choice and allows them to craft a beautiful film. With sweeping mountains, water, and thick and colorful forests, this is one of Pixar's best looking films to date. It trumps the jungles of UP and even the magical underwater world of Finding Nemo. There is a certain amount of magic in the environments alone, and gazing on it is a wonder. The characters are also fantastic. Merida is a wonderful addition to Disney's princess lineup, and unlike those others, she is no damsel in distress. She, like her mother, is perfectly capable of handling herself, with her trusty archery skills and even tackles a few dangerous situations on her own instead of having someone there to save her. In fact, this could be seen as an inverse, as Merida actually becomes a hero in many ways and triumphs over the males in her own age bracket. Also of note is Billy Connolly, voicing Fergus, who lends his comedic chops to create a wonderful and likable character.
While this film may not be up there with Pixar's best, it still has a wonderful story and character interaction. Merida's relationship with her family feels genuine and most children will probably be able to relate. At the heart of the story is her relationship with her mother. This is more than a story about fate, but a story about obligations to family and how growing up means taking responsibility and putting away childish selfishness in place of those responsibilities. Although the core plot is unconventional and unexpected, it has a fantastic heart and once again proves that Pixar can tell a story like no other.
Brave is an entertaining, humorous, and heartfelt story that will be wonderful for kids and adults alike. Merida is a wonderful new character and the entire film looks beautiful. Even if you don't have children, I recommend this film if you've loved other Pixar's before it.
Brave tells the story of the aforementioned Merida, a young, Scottish princess whose life is controlled by her mother so that she can be shaped into a queen someday over the surrounding tribes. In an effort to change her fate and be free of her oppressive, but loving mother, she attempts to change her fate, and in the process makes a huge mistake. I won't get into plot details, as the trailer really doesn't give a lot away in terms of what this film is really about, but suffice to say, there is plenty of fun and adventure to be had.
Pixar always manages to create an interesting and unique tale, and this goes right up there with the best of them. Using the Scottish highlands is both an inspiring choice and allows them to craft a beautiful film. With sweeping mountains, water, and thick and colorful forests, this is one of Pixar's best looking films to date. It trumps the jungles of UP and even the magical underwater world of Finding Nemo. There is a certain amount of magic in the environments alone, and gazing on it is a wonder. The characters are also fantastic. Merida is a wonderful addition to Disney's princess lineup, and unlike those others, she is no damsel in distress. She, like her mother, is perfectly capable of handling herself, with her trusty archery skills and even tackles a few dangerous situations on her own instead of having someone there to save her. In fact, this could be seen as an inverse, as Merida actually becomes a hero in many ways and triumphs over the males in her own age bracket. Also of note is Billy Connolly, voicing Fergus, who lends his comedic chops to create a wonderful and likable character.
While this film may not be up there with Pixar's best, it still has a wonderful story and character interaction. Merida's relationship with her family feels genuine and most children will probably be able to relate. At the heart of the story is her relationship with her mother. This is more than a story about fate, but a story about obligations to family and how growing up means taking responsibility and putting away childish selfishness in place of those responsibilities. Although the core plot is unconventional and unexpected, it has a fantastic heart and once again proves that Pixar can tell a story like no other.
Brave is an entertaining, humorous, and heartfelt story that will be wonderful for kids and adults alike. Merida is a wonderful new character and the entire film looks beautiful. Even if you don't have children, I recommend this film if you've loved other Pixar's before it.
Time to brave here and give you my true opinion of the movie. I'll bear it all. Brave was pretty disappointing.
ironhorse_iv5 August 2015
Warning: Spoilers
The animation is beautiful, but it looks like they stole or mirror CGI designs from DreamWorks's 2010's How to Train a Dragon film. It get worst, as the story is mess. Directed by three people, Brenda Chapman, Steve Purcell & Mark Andrews, and set in medieval Scotland. The movie tells the story of Princess Merida (Voiced by Kelly McDonald) whom just come of age. Her over-bearing mother, Queen Elinor (Voiced by Emma Thompson) is so intended is to keep her people alive, that she is willing to marry off, her daughter to the firstborn sons of the clan leaders, in hope for peace. Merida thinks, otherwise, ignored her duties, in hope, of making her own path in life. Soon enough, both women are, in the crosshairs, with each other. Both must learn to sacrifice, some their values, and ideals in hope to grow, a stronger, and meaningful relationship. Can they work out, their issues with each other or will their kingdom suffer, because of it? Watch the movie to find out! Without spoiling the movie, too much, I give credit where credit due, the writers did try to add something new to the Disney princess motifs, with the whole mother & daughter, mend the bond relationship. The problem with it, is the fact, that it's very underdeveloped. Not once, throughout the film, was I convince, that they truly understood each other's problems. The movie rarely gives them, any time to talk it out, and listen to each other, due to all the weak conflicts. I think Queen Elinor turning into a bear, kinda hurts the plot, since she's unable to show, her side of the story. It's very odd for Disney to do this. The usual talking animal trope that often comes with humans-turned-animals is sadly not here. Another problem with the plot is that it felt very recycle. The whole 'magic bear transformation lesson', storyline seem like a rip off, another Disney movie, 2003's Brother Bear. That movie did such a better job, in showing the dangers of selfishness, while understand responsibility when it comes to family and growing up within a community. While, yeah, they're two different movies; I felt like Brave fell flat where Brother Bear didn't. Personally, I think they should have removed these magic bear sub plot lines completely; and focus more, on the conflict of war & marriage. These magic odd legends that doesn't mesh well, with the rest of the film. First off, the curse of Mor'du and Merida situation only vaguely relate to each other, when it comes to theme of selfish in this movie. The curse, overall, deals more about total greed. While Merida is about breaking tradition for individual rights. Vastly different. Near the end, Merida and Eleanor fight this supposed selfishness curse altogether, to show that they're willing to change. Symbolism or not, though, it's still very sloppy writing. Another problem is the Will-o'-the-wisps. They're portray as good spirits, that help the protagonist lead her to her fate. This is far away from the truth folklore, in which they are evil beings that lure victims to their deaths. I don't understand, why Merida would trust these creatures; not once, but three times. They always lead her, to more misfortune. What is the movie, trying to say? That you have to be brave, but willing to let fate, lead you to own demise? I somewhat get the brave part, but who says, that you have to clueless and lead yourself to danger! Maybe, the movie should be, call 'stupid'. Anyways, Merida's problem was never, about how brave, she was. It's all about the issues, when it comes to her freedom of choice. The film is so heavily invest in that theme. So when, it tries hard to introduce, fate into the mix in the opening. Merida's message comes off, as confusing. Fate says that you have no choose, that decisions are meaningless and choices are an illusion. If Merida was so into her fate, why did she bother trying to change it, with the Highland Games and with the witch!? It doesn't seem brave, when you think about it. In many ways, this show how pointless, this movie with its choices. In the end, Merida doesn't really change, anything. While, the film is certainly set in a feministic world, where the women secretly control the state, while the men ruled in public. The agnatic seniority society still lives and she still has to marry somebody. All, she did was postpone her, trouble fate. That isn't brave at all! The whole easy conflict wasn't resolve, when it could had. It comes across as weak. I think the title, The Bear and the Bow is a much more apt title, because of that. When I think of "Brave". I'm thinking it was chosen to be subtly reminiscent of Mel Gibson's Scottish Oscar-winning blockbuster smash. No wonder, why the trailers for this film was so confused. Some of the trailers try to play up the "epic adventure" while others emphasized Shrek-like slapstick, subversive humor. In reality, both weren't even close. The movie is shallow with its humor and the movie wasn't that epic. The movie is offensive, both to women and men. The voice acting is a mixed bag. Some accents are laughable and rough to hear. The historic anachronism are strong, epic music doesn't felt Scottish, and story fails to deliver a satisfying pay off, when the movie ends. The only highlight is the movie has a lot of Easter eggs cameos from other Pixar's films; that some viewers have started a Pixar film theory, where all the films were connection. Overall: It's a shame this film is such a mess. Best Animated movie of 2012!? I doubt, it, Academy. It's a wasted opportunity of something that could had been great. I absolutely have zero desire to ever visit again.
recommended for ages 6+
janisgale18 June 2012
I watched this movie in 3D with my (very mature for his age) five year old grandson. He loved it and wanted to talk about the plot for most of the afternoon to anyone who would listen. However, other young children in the theatre were rather nervous and scared in certain parts of the film and a few very small (2 - 4 year old) children had to be escorted out of the cinema by their parents.
Personally, after the first five minutes, which were a bit slow, I became absorbed in the story and thoroughly enjoyed the movie. There was lots of action and the plot was attention grabbing and unique, with no soppy love story and little slang included.
Personally, after the first five minutes, which were a bit slow, I became absorbed in the story and thoroughly enjoyed the movie. There was lots of action and the plot was attention grabbing and unique, with no soppy love story and little slang included.
A Brave New Film From Pixar
jeev788224 June 2012
There's quite a bit about Brave that has marked it as a departure from Pixar's typical fare. The most memorable trailer was one of the best scenes from the movie, with Merida protesting her marriage by shooting for her own hand. That scene alone showcases the detail and quality of animation we've come to expect from Pixar. No other studio has managed to come near what they do. The motion of the characters is natural. Merida's gorgeous curly red hair is distracting in its details only at the perfect times. And, most impressively, when Merida holds her breath to shoot her last arrow the audience holds its collective breath as we watch her arrow shoot away in slow motion and in a beautiful use of depth of field that reminds us why 2D is still highly preferred to 3D.
That's not to say Brave is quite as visually astonishing as Sully's fur in Monsters Inc., the magical underwater world of Finding Nemo, or a landfill laden Earth in Wall-E. But, in some ways, it's not meant to be. We're dealing with a primarily human cast for once, and ones meant to look very different than the ones in Up.
Beyond the animation, the story is somewhat flat. The trailers do an excellent job of concealing the twists, but the twists are all easy to see well ahead of time. The story revolves around Princess Merida who is continually at odds with her Mother, Elinor. At the center of their arguments: marriage. Merida is to be married to the first born of one of the leaders of the other three clans. She'll have none of it as she'd much rather ride off on her own and perfect her archery skills than sit at home and be a proper Princess. In her more childish qualities, she's like her father: an overgrown warrior child who also happens to be King. It's not a bad story, but it's certainly a little too basic. Most people will most likely find the lack of creativity in the script's details the biggest disappointment in Brave. There's no moments where we marvel "how did these guys come up with this?"
It's a pity because Merida is one of the best protagonists Pixar has been blessed with. She's likable and hate-able in all the right ways. She has quite a bit of bratty teenager in her - as evidenced by the lack of morality she displays in trying to change her mother's mind about her upcoming betrothal - and yet heaps of bravery - as she shows when confronted with what she's done to her Mother. The best part about Merida and the story is that she's the one continually driving it forward and making the choices. That proves vital as the film doesn't really have a villain. This isn't a good vs. evil battle like all their other movies not named Finding Nemo.
Brave falls somewhere in the middle for Pixar. It's great that it's original (especially with Pixar selling out and giving us Monster's Inc. 2 and Toy Story 4 shortly), it's great the protagonist is female and so well rounded, and it's great the animation is somewhat subdued for once. I can't help but feel that Brave lacks some of the magic and creativity that really separate the upper echelon of Pixar's best work from the rest of it. Of course, that'll still probably be enough to make it the best animated movie of the year.
For more reviews like this one as well as other movie musings, go to http://thethreeacts.wordpress.com/
That's not to say Brave is quite as visually astonishing as Sully's fur in Monsters Inc., the magical underwater world of Finding Nemo, or a landfill laden Earth in Wall-E. But, in some ways, it's not meant to be. We're dealing with a primarily human cast for once, and ones meant to look very different than the ones in Up.
Beyond the animation, the story is somewhat flat. The trailers do an excellent job of concealing the twists, but the twists are all easy to see well ahead of time. The story revolves around Princess Merida who is continually at odds with her Mother, Elinor. At the center of their arguments: marriage. Merida is to be married to the first born of one of the leaders of the other three clans. She'll have none of it as she'd much rather ride off on her own and perfect her archery skills than sit at home and be a proper Princess. In her more childish qualities, she's like her father: an overgrown warrior child who also happens to be King. It's not a bad story, but it's certainly a little too basic. Most people will most likely find the lack of creativity in the script's details the biggest disappointment in Brave. There's no moments where we marvel "how did these guys come up with this?"
It's a pity because Merida is one of the best protagonists Pixar has been blessed with. She's likable and hate-able in all the right ways. She has quite a bit of bratty teenager in her - as evidenced by the lack of morality she displays in trying to change her mother's mind about her upcoming betrothal - and yet heaps of bravery - as she shows when confronted with what she's done to her Mother. The best part about Merida and the story is that she's the one continually driving it forward and making the choices. That proves vital as the film doesn't really have a villain. This isn't a good vs. evil battle like all their other movies not named Finding Nemo.
Brave falls somewhere in the middle for Pixar. It's great that it's original (especially with Pixar selling out and giving us Monster's Inc. 2 and Toy Story 4 shortly), it's great the protagonist is female and so well rounded, and it's great the animation is somewhat subdued for once. I can't help but feel that Brave lacks some of the magic and creativity that really separate the upper echelon of Pixar's best work from the rest of it. Of course, that'll still probably be enough to make it the best animated movie of the year.
For more reviews like this one as well as other movie musings, go to http://thethreeacts.wordpress.com/
Amazing movie. Completely underestimated.
AustinOswald7 June 2012
After last years Cars 2, many began to underestimate Pixar and believed that it would begin to fall out of the radar. Well this movie will definitely prove them wrong. This movie was a visually stunning masterpiece with a great story. Even before the movie started it was exciting because of the unique and creative short La Luna along with the Monsters University teaser trailer. If you are reading this and haven't seen the movie yet make sure you STAY TILL THE END OF THE CREDITS for just a little scene about something that happened earlier in the movie. Thanks to everyone at Pixar studios for creating a true masterpiece!
Another fine movie by Pixar
Vartiainen16 October 2012
Pixar's thirteenth movie and the first one with a female protagonist. And naturally there have been loud and prolonged arguments about the pros and cons of this said character, Merida (Kelly Macdonald). Whether she is a much needed breath of fresh air, a female that can stand on her own feet, or whether she's just as clichéd as the rest of the so-called strong independent woman wannabes and a whiny kid unable to accept responsibility to boot.
I thought she worked marvelously. She is independent and very headstrong, but she doesn't fall to the usual clichés at all or if she does, she reinvents them and makes them feel unique to her. One of the great things about her is that she doesn't try to rebel against her gender, like so many lesser versions of her archetype. She is a tomboy, sure, but her rebellion is only against the role of her gender in her society. She doesn't wish to be a man in a man's world. She just wants to live her life as she wants, while still being a woman. A very small, but important difference and one that made her feel real.
Furthermore, the characters overall are the real strength of this film, as is usual for Pixar. Not every one of them work as intended, though. I, for one, thought that Merida's younger brothers, the triplets, were an unnecessary distraction. They were the constant source of comic relief, and admittedly they made me chuckle a few times, but they were a tad overused. But fortunately the rest of the characters more than made up for them, being memorable, diverse, funny and identifiable. Special mention goes to Merida's dad, King Fergus (Billy Connolly), who's easily the most likable character in the movie and the source of best jokes.
The film also looks great. The whole animation system of Pixar was rewritten for the first time in 25 years and it shows. The improvement is not mind-blowing, but it's noticeable. The small details, the smoothness of movement, the landscapes, they all look great and I couldn't have been happier. The score is also very decent and the voice acting is one of the strongest aspects of the film. How can you not love these Scottish accents. Unfortunately I had to see the film in 3D, and it didn't add anything. Complete waste of my money, that.
On the downside, the story isn't all that great. It's not bad, really, but it doesn't reach that bar that Pixat has previously set for its films. The plot has some new and interesting things in it, and I liked how the invert some of the usual clichés completely, but then they proceed to play some of the worst ones completely straight, which just makes me seethe in disappointment. And it's not like a film cannot use clichés in order to be good, far from it, but it shouldn't be too predictable, and that's what this movie is. The moment a new plot point was introduced, I could tell how it'd play out. And I was correct most of the time. The ending had a nice twist, but that's about it.
Story-wise this movie felt more like a Disney production, and not in a good way. It had song sequences, it had fairy tale elements, it had the children against parents kind of thing going on, it had a moral lesson to be learned... It just didn't feel like Pixar.
That being said, it's still a good film. It's not great, like so many other Pixar films, but that doesn't prevent it from being very, very good. It has great humour, it has great characters, it has great animation, it's just the story that's a bit subpar.
I thought she worked marvelously. She is independent and very headstrong, but she doesn't fall to the usual clichés at all or if she does, she reinvents them and makes them feel unique to her. One of the great things about her is that she doesn't try to rebel against her gender, like so many lesser versions of her archetype. She is a tomboy, sure, but her rebellion is only against the role of her gender in her society. She doesn't wish to be a man in a man's world. She just wants to live her life as she wants, while still being a woman. A very small, but important difference and one that made her feel real.
Furthermore, the characters overall are the real strength of this film, as is usual for Pixar. Not every one of them work as intended, though. I, for one, thought that Merida's younger brothers, the triplets, were an unnecessary distraction. They were the constant source of comic relief, and admittedly they made me chuckle a few times, but they were a tad overused. But fortunately the rest of the characters more than made up for them, being memorable, diverse, funny and identifiable. Special mention goes to Merida's dad, King Fergus (Billy Connolly), who's easily the most likable character in the movie and the source of best jokes.
The film also looks great. The whole animation system of Pixar was rewritten for the first time in 25 years and it shows. The improvement is not mind-blowing, but it's noticeable. The small details, the smoothness of movement, the landscapes, they all look great and I couldn't have been happier. The score is also very decent and the voice acting is one of the strongest aspects of the film. How can you not love these Scottish accents. Unfortunately I had to see the film in 3D, and it didn't add anything. Complete waste of my money, that.
On the downside, the story isn't all that great. It's not bad, really, but it doesn't reach that bar that Pixat has previously set for its films. The plot has some new and interesting things in it, and I liked how the invert some of the usual clichés completely, but then they proceed to play some of the worst ones completely straight, which just makes me seethe in disappointment. And it's not like a film cannot use clichés in order to be good, far from it, but it shouldn't be too predictable, and that's what this movie is. The moment a new plot point was introduced, I could tell how it'd play out. And I was correct most of the time. The ending had a nice twist, but that's about it.
Story-wise this movie felt more like a Disney production, and not in a good way. It had song sequences, it had fairy tale elements, it had the children against parents kind of thing going on, it had a moral lesson to be learned... It just didn't feel like Pixar.
That being said, it's still a good film. It's not great, like so many other Pixar films, but that doesn't prevent it from being very, very good. It has great humour, it has great characters, it has great animation, it's just the story that's a bit subpar.
Brave has little Heart
lhh9040325 June 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I knew Brave was in trouble from the first few words spoken in voice over as the film began. Merida (Kelly Macdonald) uses the words "fate" and "destiny" interchangeably. This muddle is at the heart of the film's problem.
What's the difference between fate and destiny? Philosophers through the ages have distinguished the two based on choice. Fate is something that happens TO you. Destiny is something that happens BECAUSE of you.
Fate is at the root of such words as "fatal" and "fatalistic." It implies LACK of choice. Philosopher Rollo May says fate is what we are born into, something that cannot be changed and that we have no control over, such as race.
May says destiny is what we create based on what we were given. Destiny is all about CHOICE. It's what we choose to do with what we have.
Merida is born a princess. She can't change that. Her mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), is grooming Merida for a role as future queen. After a long series of wars King Fergus (Billy Connolly) has united the four clans. Merida's duty is to help keep the clans unified though a judicious marriage.
Merida is a wild rebellious child with special talent as a rider and archer. The demonstrations of her skills are absolutely breathtaking. She is unique and extraordinary and initially looks very much like a Power of Idealism character.
These kinds of characters are driven by their passion. They abhor what they consider to be a mundane, boring, or mediocre life. They want to seize some grand destiny that is uniquely theirs.
Well-drawn female protagonists in this vein are: Paikea (Keisha Castle-Hughes) in Whale Rider and Jess Kaur Bhamra (Parminder Nagra) in Bend it Like Beckham. Unlike Paikea or Jess, Merida doesn't fight for what she believes is HER destiny. Merida, instead, decides to change her mother! Perhaps this is because Merida has no clue about what she is really called to do.
Now the story gets even muddier. With the help of an old witch's spell Merida does indeed change her mother — into a bear.
Instead of figuring out who she is and what she uniquely is called to do, Merida must again deal with who her mother is. In the struggle over the middle part of Brave, Queen Elinor becomes the protagonist.
The definition of a protagonist, in my book, is the person who makes the biggest emotional sacrifice in the story. It is the person who undergoes the most profound transformation. This is clearly Elinor on every front.
Queen Elinor is a Power of Conscience character. She is a strict and demanding taskmaster, a perfectionist, and is driven by a strong sense of tradition and duty. Over the course of the story she recognizes her daughter's uniqueness and fully appreciates Merida for who she is.
The first important glimpse of Elinor's change of heart is the brawl in the great hall after Merida has disappeared. When Merida strides back into the hall it is Elinor who puts words in Merida's mouth. Elinor speaks through her surrogate about going against tradition and marrying for love. It is Elinor who makes an eloquent plea for choice and following one's heart. Merida is just her passive interpreter. At the end of the film Elinor is willing to sacrifice her own life in a battle with the ancient cursed bear, who one would assume, was the monster who took off her husband's leg. Or not? Who knows?
Even more confusingly this monster turns out to be the legendary brother, it would seem, who destroyed the ancient kingdom so long ago because of his pride and selfishness. How how did he turn into a bear? Was it mother love or something else that breaks his curse?
When a legend and curse is set up so carefully it should have a pay-off having to do with Merida or her destiny– if the film is really about Merida.
And what does Merida do that is so brave? She scurries around looking for the witch's house after her mother turns into a bear. She stitches up (with big clumsy childish stitches) the tapestry she slashed separating her from her mother. She does a lot of running away and running around. She is ineffective in battling the monstrous cursed bear. And she collapses in tears remembering her mother's loving kindness as the second sunrise threatens to make her mother's bear curse permanent. In other words, she acts like a child– or worse a girl.
At the end of the film, Elinor has changed but not Merida. Merida is the same galloping wild child as she was in the beginning. It is a sinking back into carefree childhood rather than striding toward an adulthood based both on duty and and an individualistic sense of self. If you are a young woman, what is the lesson here?
Brave offers no alternative vision of how Merida might help unify the clan in some way that is uniquely hers. It provides a very unsatisfying resolution. How has Merida changed or grown? What happens when King Fergus and Queen Elinor are too old to rule? What is Merida's role going forward? What exactly is her destiny?
For the full review go to my website ETBscreenwriting.
What's the difference between fate and destiny? Philosophers through the ages have distinguished the two based on choice. Fate is something that happens TO you. Destiny is something that happens BECAUSE of you.
Fate is at the root of such words as "fatal" and "fatalistic." It implies LACK of choice. Philosopher Rollo May says fate is what we are born into, something that cannot be changed and that we have no control over, such as race.
May says destiny is what we create based on what we were given. Destiny is all about CHOICE. It's what we choose to do with what we have.
Merida is born a princess. She can't change that. Her mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), is grooming Merida for a role as future queen. After a long series of wars King Fergus (Billy Connolly) has united the four clans. Merida's duty is to help keep the clans unified though a judicious marriage.
Merida is a wild rebellious child with special talent as a rider and archer. The demonstrations of her skills are absolutely breathtaking. She is unique and extraordinary and initially looks very much like a Power of Idealism character.
These kinds of characters are driven by their passion. They abhor what they consider to be a mundane, boring, or mediocre life. They want to seize some grand destiny that is uniquely theirs.
Well-drawn female protagonists in this vein are: Paikea (Keisha Castle-Hughes) in Whale Rider and Jess Kaur Bhamra (Parminder Nagra) in Bend it Like Beckham. Unlike Paikea or Jess, Merida doesn't fight for what she believes is HER destiny. Merida, instead, decides to change her mother! Perhaps this is because Merida has no clue about what she is really called to do.
Now the story gets even muddier. With the help of an old witch's spell Merida does indeed change her mother — into a bear.
Instead of figuring out who she is and what she uniquely is called to do, Merida must again deal with who her mother is. In the struggle over the middle part of Brave, Queen Elinor becomes the protagonist.
The definition of a protagonist, in my book, is the person who makes the biggest emotional sacrifice in the story. It is the person who undergoes the most profound transformation. This is clearly Elinor on every front.
Queen Elinor is a Power of Conscience character. She is a strict and demanding taskmaster, a perfectionist, and is driven by a strong sense of tradition and duty. Over the course of the story she recognizes her daughter's uniqueness and fully appreciates Merida for who she is.
The first important glimpse of Elinor's change of heart is the brawl in the great hall after Merida has disappeared. When Merida strides back into the hall it is Elinor who puts words in Merida's mouth. Elinor speaks through her surrogate about going against tradition and marrying for love. It is Elinor who makes an eloquent plea for choice and following one's heart. Merida is just her passive interpreter. At the end of the film Elinor is willing to sacrifice her own life in a battle with the ancient cursed bear, who one would assume, was the monster who took off her husband's leg. Or not? Who knows?
Even more confusingly this monster turns out to be the legendary brother, it would seem, who destroyed the ancient kingdom so long ago because of his pride and selfishness. How how did he turn into a bear? Was it mother love or something else that breaks his curse?
When a legend and curse is set up so carefully it should have a pay-off having to do with Merida or her destiny– if the film is really about Merida.
And what does Merida do that is so brave? She scurries around looking for the witch's house after her mother turns into a bear. She stitches up (with big clumsy childish stitches) the tapestry she slashed separating her from her mother. She does a lot of running away and running around. She is ineffective in battling the monstrous cursed bear. And she collapses in tears remembering her mother's loving kindness as the second sunrise threatens to make her mother's bear curse permanent. In other words, she acts like a child– or worse a girl.
At the end of the film, Elinor has changed but not Merida. Merida is the same galloping wild child as she was in the beginning. It is a sinking back into carefree childhood rather than striding toward an adulthood based both on duty and and an individualistic sense of self. If you are a young woman, what is the lesson here?
Brave offers no alternative vision of how Merida might help unify the clan in some way that is uniquely hers. It provides a very unsatisfying resolution. How has Merida changed or grown? What happens when King Fergus and Queen Elinor are too old to rule? What is Merida's role going forward? What exactly is her destiny?
For the full review go to my website ETBscreenwriting.
Meh, same old foolish guys and awesome girls
kirk-444 July 2012
Once you get past the accents and the stunning scenery there is not much of a story.
I can't believe the "female heroine" still gets buzz as original. When was the last time a kids show had a male hero that wasn't in some way arrogant needing to be knocked down a notch (Tangled, Cars,Buzz Lightyear etc)or a weak anti-hero that realizes he needs help (Woody, Nemo's Dad, etc.
Make a movie with a classic male hero and that would be mold breaking. If movie makers stop treating female audiences as if they are so fragile they could not stand a guy with confidence or deserving confidence, that would be original.
The cliché is that the female characters are always perfect except just a bit too spunky.
I can't believe the "female heroine" still gets buzz as original. When was the last time a kids show had a male hero that wasn't in some way arrogant needing to be knocked down a notch (Tangled, Cars,Buzz Lightyear etc)or a weak anti-hero that realizes he needs help (Woody, Nemo's Dad, etc.
Make a movie with a classic male hero and that would be mold breaking. If movie makers stop treating female audiences as if they are so fragile they could not stand a guy with confidence or deserving confidence, that would be original.
The cliché is that the female characters are always perfect except just a bit too spunky.
Slightly more mature Pixar
anji-1322 June 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I'm liking this slightly more mature Pixar. In the same lines of Up, Brave gives us a story that is not a slapstick junk fest but a slightly more serious plot.
Apparently all these people who complain how this movie is a rip off of Mulan and Brother Bear don't overly remember those movies. It seems that people love to complain that there aren't enough female, strong leads in children's films but then when they get one compare it to something that it barely resembles.
You get the plot by now, a young Scottish woman wishes to not be married off and in a fit of anger, seeks a spell to change her fate. Of course the spell goes array and we end up with bears in a castle.
It is darker, especially the middle and end where our Merida is often put in life threatening situations. With so many kids movies relying on stupid old jokes, slap stick moments, and bodily function jokes...I'm glad we have a movie like Brave.
And it is nice to finally have a Disney movie where the female doesn't end up tying the knot. Pretty much every movie they crank out, even claiming a strong independent female lead, they always fall in love and get married and POOF happy ever after. There is too much sugar coated junk out there for kids...
Brave gives us a serious, slightly dark Scottish tale steeped in magic and has a few giggles.
Apparently all these people who complain how this movie is a rip off of Mulan and Brother Bear don't overly remember those movies. It seems that people love to complain that there aren't enough female, strong leads in children's films but then when they get one compare it to something that it barely resembles.
You get the plot by now, a young Scottish woman wishes to not be married off and in a fit of anger, seeks a spell to change her fate. Of course the spell goes array and we end up with bears in a castle.
It is darker, especially the middle and end where our Merida is often put in life threatening situations. With so many kids movies relying on stupid old jokes, slap stick moments, and bodily function jokes...I'm glad we have a movie like Brave.
And it is nice to finally have a Disney movie where the female doesn't end up tying the knot. Pretty much every movie they crank out, even claiming a strong independent female lead, they always fall in love and get married and POOF happy ever after. There is too much sugar coated junk out there for kids...
Brave gives us a serious, slightly dark Scottish tale steeped in magic and has a few giggles.
The weight of expectations
petra_ste6 August 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Brave is, in itself, a droll, pleasant yarn about a rebellious princess in ancient Scotland. Package is flawless, with solid voice acting and splendid visuals.
However, movies can't be judged in a vacuum - and this was made by Pixar, the animation studio which crafted some of the most imaginative, topical and daring (both in themes and form) mainstream movies of the last decade, from Finding Nemo to Inside Out. Compared to, say, the stunning, silent first half of Wall-E, or the opening montage about love and loss of Up, Brave is safe, lightweight fluff.
Cue a zany witch, inevitable visual jokes about kilt-wearing highland warriors and bare rears, a curse with a prim queen mother turned into a bear (slapstick ensues), and so on. It's... okay, I guess? A fun adventure for kids - and yeah, the magical version of the typically unhelpful automated answering service had me in stitches. It just pales next to other Pixar movies (well, the majority of them), which are much more than that.
6,5/10
However, movies can't be judged in a vacuum - and this was made by Pixar, the animation studio which crafted some of the most imaginative, topical and daring (both in themes and form) mainstream movies of the last decade, from Finding Nemo to Inside Out. Compared to, say, the stunning, silent first half of Wall-E, or the opening montage about love and loss of Up, Brave is safe, lightweight fluff.
Cue a zany witch, inevitable visual jokes about kilt-wearing highland warriors and bare rears, a curse with a prim queen mother turned into a bear (slapstick ensues), and so on. It's... okay, I guess? A fun adventure for kids - and yeah, the magical version of the typically unhelpful automated answering service had me in stitches. It just pales next to other Pixar movies (well, the majority of them), which are much more than that.
6,5/10
A Celtic Tale to the Core
bjones22 June 2012
I was lucky enough to see this film in a movie with other paying customers. There was a liberal dose of children in the audience who, from the sounds of happiness during the showing, was proof that it should be a solid hit. Add to that a dreamy-eyed little boy of about 8 who said to me after the film, "I gotta get me a bow and arrow!" That's about as good a testimony as you could get.
I had heard a mention from a source or two - who should remain nameless - that they had trouble with the direction the story went or that it may have been too simplistic. First, I vividly recall people complaining that the story for UP! Was too com0plex, too adult, for a kids movie. But kids liked it anyway. So, they made the story simpler this time and there are complaints from other people. You can't have it both ways. Some people would even complain if they were hanged with a new rope.
What this story does try to do is present a flavor of the Highland Scots in the middle ages. Hollywood being what it is, it's certainly not historically accurate in every detail, but my word, was the animation superb! It was simply magnificent in the depth and complexity. The star, Merida's, hair certainly had center stage a lot. I loved it! Such a riotous bouquet of autumn beauty is hard to find in real life, although I have to say I have a friend of long acquaintance who's hair is EXACTLY like Merida's. My only complaint about that character is with that coloring she screamed with the need for freckles! That would have made her visually perfect to type and character and the absence really disappointed me.
Second, as to the story elements; I feel certain that there are few places on earth with a rich a history of mythical and magical creatures; all of which were taken quite seriously and believed without doubt. The old stories are replete with such tales containing Druids, witches, soothsayers, faeries, brownies, ùruisg, gruagach, little people, silkies, water horses, banshees, Bean-shìdh, kelpies, Blue Kelpies, Seonaidh's, Changelings, Wulvers (a sort of kindly werewolves), Will-o'-the-wisps, Nuckelavees (a quite monstrous elf) and on and on. All of which goes to say that this animated film rests smack in the center of an ancient and rich culture and does it some justice, not in overreaching accuracy, but certainly in underlining the look and feel of the land and the people.
I loved it, my daughter loved it and my grandkids loved it (it didn't hurt that this grouping contains several people with red hair). We loved the look of the people, the costumes, the sets - especially the forested ones and the wonderful voices! Billy Connolly, Kelly Macdonald and Emma Thompson all did a wonderful job.
Oh, yeah, my 5 year-old grandson wants the girl ... ;) By Bruce L. Jones http://webpages.charter.net/bruce.jones1/
I had heard a mention from a source or two - who should remain nameless - that they had trouble with the direction the story went or that it may have been too simplistic. First, I vividly recall people complaining that the story for UP! Was too com0plex, too adult, for a kids movie. But kids liked it anyway. So, they made the story simpler this time and there are complaints from other people. You can't have it both ways. Some people would even complain if they were hanged with a new rope.
What this story does try to do is present a flavor of the Highland Scots in the middle ages. Hollywood being what it is, it's certainly not historically accurate in every detail, but my word, was the animation superb! It was simply magnificent in the depth and complexity. The star, Merida's, hair certainly had center stage a lot. I loved it! Such a riotous bouquet of autumn beauty is hard to find in real life, although I have to say I have a friend of long acquaintance who's hair is EXACTLY like Merida's. My only complaint about that character is with that coloring she screamed with the need for freckles! That would have made her visually perfect to type and character and the absence really disappointed me.
Second, as to the story elements; I feel certain that there are few places on earth with a rich a history of mythical and magical creatures; all of which were taken quite seriously and believed without doubt. The old stories are replete with such tales containing Druids, witches, soothsayers, faeries, brownies, ùruisg, gruagach, little people, silkies, water horses, banshees, Bean-shìdh, kelpies, Blue Kelpies, Seonaidh's, Changelings, Wulvers (a sort of kindly werewolves), Will-o'-the-wisps, Nuckelavees (a quite monstrous elf) and on and on. All of which goes to say that this animated film rests smack in the center of an ancient and rich culture and does it some justice, not in overreaching accuracy, but certainly in underlining the look and feel of the land and the people.
I loved it, my daughter loved it and my grandkids loved it (it didn't hurt that this grouping contains several people with red hair). We loved the look of the people, the costumes, the sets - especially the forested ones and the wonderful voices! Billy Connolly, Kelly Macdonald and Emma Thompson all did a wonderful job.
Oh, yeah, my 5 year-old grandson wants the girl ... ;) By Bruce L. Jones http://webpages.charter.net/bruce.jones1/
A quaint film, not a great film!!!!!
jaxbubba24 June 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Although this is being touted as a PIXAR movie release, it's the first Pixar release to have a very Disney-esque quality. The story of a young princess, not happy with the "life" path laid out before her, asks for help from a wicked witch to "change" her mother.
Merida (Kelly MacDonald) is a strong willed, defiant individual who is in a constant struggle/battle with her mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). Queen Elinor is determined to groom the young princess into a proper heir to the throne. But more importantly, Queen Elinor wishes to re-unite the four independent Scottish clans back together again, by offering Princess Merida's hand in marriage to one of the eldest sons of the (3) other clans. Upon hearing this news, Princess Merida flees the castle, and heads into the forest. While in the forest, Merida meets a crafty witch. Merida barters her necklace for a magical potion that is supposed to "change" her mother's attitude/feelings with regards to Merida's pending nuptials. However, Merida was not that specific with her request to the witch, and got a potion that indeed changed her mother, but as they say, "Be careful what you wish for"!!!!! The potion changed Queen Elinor into a grizzly bear. Merida now has less than 48 hours in order to break the spell. To do so, Merida must "mend the bond torn by pride" or have her mother remain a bear forever.
As stated above, this story line is very Disney in nature, while the artwork is very reminiscent of "How to Train your Dragon". I found nothing new, exciting, or original in this Scottish tale. Except for the part of Queen Elinor being changed into a bear . that really came out of left field, and was truly unexpected!!! However, there is nothing "not" to like in this film either. It's your typical fairy tale, where lessons are learned, forgiveness granted, and in the end everyone lives "Happily Ever After" .
A moderate recommendation, I myself, would wait for the DVD, or watch this film "On Demand". A quaint film, but not a great film!
PLEASE SEE MORE OF MY REVIEWS ON FB @ "THE FARIS REEL"
Merida (Kelly MacDonald) is a strong willed, defiant individual who is in a constant struggle/battle with her mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). Queen Elinor is determined to groom the young princess into a proper heir to the throne. But more importantly, Queen Elinor wishes to re-unite the four independent Scottish clans back together again, by offering Princess Merida's hand in marriage to one of the eldest sons of the (3) other clans. Upon hearing this news, Princess Merida flees the castle, and heads into the forest. While in the forest, Merida meets a crafty witch. Merida barters her necklace for a magical potion that is supposed to "change" her mother's attitude/feelings with regards to Merida's pending nuptials. However, Merida was not that specific with her request to the witch, and got a potion that indeed changed her mother, but as they say, "Be careful what you wish for"!!!!! The potion changed Queen Elinor into a grizzly bear. Merida now has less than 48 hours in order to break the spell. To do so, Merida must "mend the bond torn by pride" or have her mother remain a bear forever.
As stated above, this story line is very Disney in nature, while the artwork is very reminiscent of "How to Train your Dragon". I found nothing new, exciting, or original in this Scottish tale. Except for the part of Queen Elinor being changed into a bear . that really came out of left field, and was truly unexpected!!! However, there is nothing "not" to like in this film either. It's your typical fairy tale, where lessons are learned, forgiveness granted, and in the end everyone lives "Happily Ever After" .
A moderate recommendation, I myself, would wait for the DVD, or watch this film "On Demand". A quaint film, but not a great film!
PLEASE SEE MORE OF MY REVIEWS ON FB @ "THE FARIS REEL"
A Great Movie.. But not 'Pixar' Great...
ShaShank_MovieFreak22 June 2012
I am a great fan of Pixar studios, so I'm trying to be as unbiased as I can while writing this review. Brave sure does mark a comeback to Pixar. After Cars 2, many thought that the beloved animation studio lost its vibe and magic, but this movie proves everyone wrong. I mean it. Pixar is back. But... The movie is not extra-ordinary or marvelous like Up or Wall-e. Its great, but not in a 'Pixar' kind of way. But then again, the movie is much different from the usual Pixar style of movie-making, which might be the reason why I made the previous point.
Firstly, the visuals. I mean, come on, no one beats Pixar when it comes to Animation and visual effects. And this time, the studio has really outdone itself. Brave should probably be the greatest animation work of Pixar up to date. The Characters, the ancient Scotland, the Artwork, the Scenery, you name it. It was splendid. Even the voices were perfectly cast. Kelly McDonald was very convincing as Merida and so was the case with everyone else. Also, I loved the way she spoke in her Scottish accent.
Talking about the story, it sounded more like a Disney story than a Pixar one. It was, of course, the darkest Pixar tale so far and even the jokes got a little matured this time around. And I have to say this, though. The message the movie gives about freedom and family was very good. You may not actually appreciate it and get impressed as soon as you see it but once you see the movie and after a while you think of it, you'll start liking it. It did happen to me.
I only have a few things against the movie, the first one being that the studio didn't reach its previous standards of story-telling. The second one was the pace, which was alright for most of the movie except for at the beginning of the second half. Also, I must have raised my expectations dramatically after watching the trailers, so probably I did get a little disappointed. But nevertheless, the movie is without doubt, a very good movie. Only, it's neither the best nor the worst of Pixar films. It dangles somewhere in the middle of the list.
Also, there was a very beautiful short movie called La Luna at the beginning of the movie. By the way, 'If you had the chance to change you fate, would you?' This line is kind of cool. Who knew? You might find it useful someday.
Firstly, the visuals. I mean, come on, no one beats Pixar when it comes to Animation and visual effects. And this time, the studio has really outdone itself. Brave should probably be the greatest animation work of Pixar up to date. The Characters, the ancient Scotland, the Artwork, the Scenery, you name it. It was splendid. Even the voices were perfectly cast. Kelly McDonald was very convincing as Merida and so was the case with everyone else. Also, I loved the way she spoke in her Scottish accent.
Talking about the story, it sounded more like a Disney story than a Pixar one. It was, of course, the darkest Pixar tale so far and even the jokes got a little matured this time around. And I have to say this, though. The message the movie gives about freedom and family was very good. You may not actually appreciate it and get impressed as soon as you see it but once you see the movie and after a while you think of it, you'll start liking it. It did happen to me.
I only have a few things against the movie, the first one being that the studio didn't reach its previous standards of story-telling. The second one was the pace, which was alright for most of the movie except for at the beginning of the second half. Also, I must have raised my expectations dramatically after watching the trailers, so probably I did get a little disappointed. But nevertheless, the movie is without doubt, a very good movie. Only, it's neither the best nor the worst of Pixar films. It dangles somewhere in the middle of the list.
Also, there was a very beautiful short movie called La Luna at the beginning of the movie. By the way, 'If you had the chance to change you fate, would you?' This line is kind of cool. Who knew? You might find it useful someday.
Great movie
gadkar-siddhesh17 August 2013
Its quite a good movie. I don't know why so many people are dissatisfied with it. Merida's character has been put up beautifully. Its an amazing movie if you want to show a movie to your kids. Something a family can lay back and enjoy. The animation is quite good. What impresses is the strong character of Merida and Elinor. The mother-daughter bonding is spectacular. And no matter what others say, the story line is quite different. You won't regret watching this movie. In quite a few occasions the animation is very realistic, never seen so much precision. If you are wondering whether to watch this movie, don't hesitate. Go ahead, its worth watching.
Really enjoyed this movie!
connod22 June 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I really do not understand some of the extreme negative reviews for this movie. It's NOT Finding Nemo, and I do get the concept that it's more like Disney than Pixar, but I still really enjoyed seeing it!
I loved the mother/daughter theme the most. I grew up with a very controlling mother who had an agenda for my life, so I totally related to Merida's frustration, drives and strong feelings. I cried when they had their blow-out fight and I cried again at the end to see the resolution. I found the mom hilarious after the spell when she keeps trying to be all proper and modest, even though it's impossible for her character to do that.
I like that Pixar created a female lead who has strength, but also compassion and remorse for her wrong choices. I really enjoyed Merida's speech to the clans and appreciated her character development to see beyond herself. I thought her growth was a good model for teenage girls who may resent their parents at times, but learn to reconcile and love them in the end. It was very touching when Merida realizes that her mother was right about a lot of things. It's more common in real life to come full circle and learn, than it is to just obey and do everything right all along. Even in real life, I don't think there has ever been a hero that did not go through tragic circumstances of some form. Courage does not grow from a soft life.
I enjoyed the humor of the triplet brothers and the clan leaders/sons. I'm part Scottish, so I'm also glad to see a movie that shows the beauty of Scotland. The animation of the highlands and surrounding areas was breathtaking. The soundtrack was awesome. I love Celtic music and it was a treat to hear the penny whistles and bagpipes. The audience applauded at the end and it was great to be in a crowd that enjoyed it, too
Lastly, stay for the bonus scene after the credits! Most people left the theater. It's not spectacular, but just good fun! I would have preferred to see Merida on a goofy 1st date or something like that more...BUT I still enjoyed it!
I loved the mother/daughter theme the most. I grew up with a very controlling mother who had an agenda for my life, so I totally related to Merida's frustration, drives and strong feelings. I cried when they had their blow-out fight and I cried again at the end to see the resolution. I found the mom hilarious after the spell when she keeps trying to be all proper and modest, even though it's impossible for her character to do that.
I like that Pixar created a female lead who has strength, but also compassion and remorse for her wrong choices. I really enjoyed Merida's speech to the clans and appreciated her character development to see beyond herself. I thought her growth was a good model for teenage girls who may resent their parents at times, but learn to reconcile and love them in the end. It was very touching when Merida realizes that her mother was right about a lot of things. It's more common in real life to come full circle and learn, than it is to just obey and do everything right all along. Even in real life, I don't think there has ever been a hero that did not go through tragic circumstances of some form. Courage does not grow from a soft life.
I enjoyed the humor of the triplet brothers and the clan leaders/sons. I'm part Scottish, so I'm also glad to see a movie that shows the beauty of Scotland. The animation of the highlands and surrounding areas was breathtaking. The soundtrack was awesome. I love Celtic music and it was a treat to hear the penny whistles and bagpipes. The audience applauded at the end and it was great to be in a crowd that enjoyed it, too
Lastly, stay for the bonus scene after the credits! Most people left the theater. It's not spectacular, but just good fun! I would have preferred to see Merida on a goofy 1st date or something like that more...BUT I still enjoyed it!
Engineering
tedg16 September 2012
Steve Jobs remade Apple, embedding a very specific philosophy. Usually called 'design,' the idea is simple and the goal is simple. Have a vision of what you want to accomplish, a clear vision. Then engineer to that vision, ruthlessly eliminating all else. It sounds simple, but no Apple competitor has been able to emulate the approach; it is usual to start with a list of features and jam as many in as you can.
Jobs had far less work to do with Pixar because they started as an engineering shop and ended up making movies. The stories are effective because they are carefully engineered, based not initially on intuition, but on the science (such as it is) of narrative dynamics. As Pixar matured, they started to engineer the cinematic techniques as well.
Now Pixar is part of the Disney machine, and Disney has a princess franchise to feed, and I am sure that a very specific set of goals was supplied to Pixar to engineer to. So we have the story and the rather blunt girl-mother issues that apparently have market traction. You, dear viewer, will be in their scope and satisfied with the engineered results or not. I don't care much about that.
What I do appreciate is the parallel engineering, the cinematic engineering. Pixar in the past has been experimenting with space, particularly the position occupied by the camera and the space that is defined around it. Lots of consideration of dimension that gives something like a visual score. Sometimes it directly supports the goals of the story; sometimes it does so indirectly by just making the images more enticing.
I think what they did here is fascinating. The spatial experiments are muted, at least the space occupied by the action. Instead, the space around the chief character's head is engineered, no doubt using proprietary motion technology. You can see it in two recent Pixar patent applications (12/717,530 and 12/717,540) with the implementation here using NURBS rather than polygons. As a matter of hidden history, the technique of using linear NURBS to define things like hair came directly from military aircraft radiation modeling for stealth.
But that is another story. What interests us here is the ability to both *realistically* emulate the effect that curls of hair have in gravity, wind jostling and rubbing up against each other, *and* the agent system where tufts to have some individual character and personality within the assembly. They are characters in their own filmworld. The more glum I got over the story-in- front, the more joy I was able to find in what they did with this hair. Some of the 1500 individual curls work against the assembly just as Merida works against her constraints.
The personality of each of the tufts remains the same throughout the film, but the nature of the agentworld of the tufts develops.
Because they have to emphasize the hair, they de-emphasize hair elsewhere. For instance, the bearhides are from a bygone technology. The snow that originally would have used the same technology and echoed the hair dynamics would have made a great film. But 'creative differences' and a shift in the director killed this.
Red hair in cinema has a long history, and it can be said that film at least clarified certain stereotypes. I have a small project tracing the development from "It!" and following black and white films where the red was known from tinted fan magazines, through Technicolor. Many actresses were forced to dye their hair just so the filmstock would register their skin properly. By then we had the three main archetypes.
Merida has a rare double swirl. Fantastic research on that account.
So, an engineered hairworld, as a collection of characters, acting as a character to subvert the Disney constraints. Too bad about the original visionary leaving. Jobs would not have allowed it.
Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.
Jobs had far less work to do with Pixar because they started as an engineering shop and ended up making movies. The stories are effective because they are carefully engineered, based not initially on intuition, but on the science (such as it is) of narrative dynamics. As Pixar matured, they started to engineer the cinematic techniques as well.
Now Pixar is part of the Disney machine, and Disney has a princess franchise to feed, and I am sure that a very specific set of goals was supplied to Pixar to engineer to. So we have the story and the rather blunt girl-mother issues that apparently have market traction. You, dear viewer, will be in their scope and satisfied with the engineered results or not. I don't care much about that.
What I do appreciate is the parallel engineering, the cinematic engineering. Pixar in the past has been experimenting with space, particularly the position occupied by the camera and the space that is defined around it. Lots of consideration of dimension that gives something like a visual score. Sometimes it directly supports the goals of the story; sometimes it does so indirectly by just making the images more enticing.
I think what they did here is fascinating. The spatial experiments are muted, at least the space occupied by the action. Instead, the space around the chief character's head is engineered, no doubt using proprietary motion technology. You can see it in two recent Pixar patent applications (12/717,530 and 12/717,540) with the implementation here using NURBS rather than polygons. As a matter of hidden history, the technique of using linear NURBS to define things like hair came directly from military aircraft radiation modeling for stealth.
But that is another story. What interests us here is the ability to both *realistically* emulate the effect that curls of hair have in gravity, wind jostling and rubbing up against each other, *and* the agent system where tufts to have some individual character and personality within the assembly. They are characters in their own filmworld. The more glum I got over the story-in- front, the more joy I was able to find in what they did with this hair. Some of the 1500 individual curls work against the assembly just as Merida works against her constraints.
The personality of each of the tufts remains the same throughout the film, but the nature of the agentworld of the tufts develops.
Because they have to emphasize the hair, they de-emphasize hair elsewhere. For instance, the bearhides are from a bygone technology. The snow that originally would have used the same technology and echoed the hair dynamics would have made a great film. But 'creative differences' and a shift in the director killed this.
Red hair in cinema has a long history, and it can be said that film at least clarified certain stereotypes. I have a small project tracing the development from "It!" and following black and white films where the red was known from tinted fan magazines, through Technicolor. Many actresses were forced to dye their hair just so the filmstock would register their skin properly. By then we had the three main archetypes.
Merida has a rare double swirl. Fantastic research on that account.
So, an engineered hairworld, as a collection of characters, acting as a character to subvert the Disney constraints. Too bad about the original visionary leaving. Jobs would not have allowed it.
Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.
Pixar or no Pixar; Brave does have a few strengths, but a lot of flaws
Tinny-Tinette25 June 2012
First I want to start this review by saying that I'm not a Pixar fan. Frankly, I think Pixar is one of the most overrated companies ever. While they have churned out a few great films now and then (the first Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Up and yes, both Cars films), I've found most of their films to be quite adequate and unremarkable. Therefore I wasn't going into "Brave" expecting a so-called Pixar masterpiece. But rather a masterpiece on its own. While I had my doubts, I still hoped to be blown away. And while some parts lived up to my expectations, other parts did disappoint me.
Despite that I'm lukewarm about most Pixar features, I shall admit that Pixar had really never made a bad movie (even Cars 2, which everyone seemed to despise, was quite enjoyable, despite its flaws). Brave doesn't fall into that category, but it's still without doubt one of Pixar's most flawed movies.
To start with the positive aspects of this film; The animation is a definite top-notch. Lush, detailed and absolutely gorgeous. The cute and satisfying prologue is reminiscent of Disney's Dinosaur and Jurassic Park The Lost World. The score of Patrick Doyle is absolutely wonderful and the few songs are enjoyable as well. The Scottish accents give the film authenticity and the voices are perfect for the casts, especially Billy Connolly as Merida's goofy and fun-loving father, Fergus, which is the strongest character on the film.
So where does the film fall flat? One word (an aspect which several reviewers and especially an early review of Ain't it Cool-News were pointing out); the narrative. The film lacks a consistent storyline. After a fairly satisfying thirty minutes, the film turns another direction and becomes another "Brother Bear", which is one of Disney's most flawed and insipid features, in my opinion. While Brave never becomes an identical copy of the bear movie, the similarities are obvious enough to make the non-fans cringe. For there on, the movie loses some of its spark, becomes less engaging and introduces the viewers to some plot points which are even more insipid and laughable.
So how could I depict Brave as a whole? Its not a awful film, but it's indeed a frustrating one. How could a movie like this lack such a coherent narrative? While I don't find it as mediocre as Brother Bear, it's still less satisfying than what it could have been. But despite all these problems, I'm still giving Brave a few points for the positive aspects.
Despite that I'm lukewarm about most Pixar features, I shall admit that Pixar had really never made a bad movie (even Cars 2, which everyone seemed to despise, was quite enjoyable, despite its flaws). Brave doesn't fall into that category, but it's still without doubt one of Pixar's most flawed movies.
To start with the positive aspects of this film; The animation is a definite top-notch. Lush, detailed and absolutely gorgeous. The cute and satisfying prologue is reminiscent of Disney's Dinosaur and Jurassic Park The Lost World. The score of Patrick Doyle is absolutely wonderful and the few songs are enjoyable as well. The Scottish accents give the film authenticity and the voices are perfect for the casts, especially Billy Connolly as Merida's goofy and fun-loving father, Fergus, which is the strongest character on the film.
So where does the film fall flat? One word (an aspect which several reviewers and especially an early review of Ain't it Cool-News were pointing out); the narrative. The film lacks a consistent storyline. After a fairly satisfying thirty minutes, the film turns another direction and becomes another "Brother Bear", which is one of Disney's most flawed and insipid features, in my opinion. While Brave never becomes an identical copy of the bear movie, the similarities are obvious enough to make the non-fans cringe. For there on, the movie loses some of its spark, becomes less engaging and introduces the viewers to some plot points which are even more insipid and laughable.
So how could I depict Brave as a whole? Its not a awful film, but it's indeed a frustrating one. How could a movie like this lack such a coherent narrative? While I don't find it as mediocre as Brother Bear, it's still less satisfying than what it could have been. But despite all these problems, I'm still giving Brave a few points for the positive aspects.
Great Animation, not so great story
samurai108-406-70046525 June 2012
Animation is spectacular, great setting in the Scottish Highlands. Voice acting is above par. However, this movie is not among the top Pixar films, by far. I felt the sickening presence of Disney all over the film -- weird politically correct preaching, overdone action scenes, and generally random and weird plot.
The story is really disappointing. What exactly makes her 'BRAVE'?? They should have named the movie 'PETULANT'. She's selfish, and the entire plot is about how she can get out of the results of her selfishness while remaining selfish. The magic feels out of place, lots of wasted scenes, and the whole bear thing was just plain annoying after a while.
Not a lot of funny moments, and generally boring! I was really looking forward to this movie, and I did not like it.
The story is really disappointing. What exactly makes her 'BRAVE'?? They should have named the movie 'PETULANT'. She's selfish, and the entire plot is about how she can get out of the results of her selfishness while remaining selfish. The magic feels out of place, lots of wasted scenes, and the whole bear thing was just plain annoying after a while.
Not a lot of funny moments, and generally boring! I was really looking forward to this movie, and I did not like it.
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