I don't want to get married, I want to stay single and let my hair flow in the wind as I ride through the glen firing arrows into the sunset
The legendary Pixar team who brought us Toy Story, The Incredibles, Wall-E and Up create their own independant princess who embarks on a journey of self-discovery and growth in their 13th feature film. Merida, a princess of Scotland is decided to be married to a suitor picked out for her, but feels like she has much more life to live before then and attempts to changer her fate. In doing so, she sets off a chain of events that not only threatens her fate, but her entire families lives and those of her kingdom. In some ways Brave is a step forward for the studio after a shallow outing with Cars 2, but maybe a step backward in the overall scheme of original storytelling for the studio.
Lets start with the good. This is a beautiful film (and what Pixar film isn't) that is vibrant in color and depth. Everything about the design is perfect and the realism is the best work we have seen to date, Merida's hair in particular is incredibly executed. The running time is short, but serves the story well as we are spared from dull filler material or scenes that hinder the flow of the story. In an twist of conventional princess storytelling, Marida (voiced by the fantastic Kelley Macdonald) deals with rebellion not against her father but against her mothers expectations. This opens up the story for some interesting character dynamics that has a fairly emotional payoff as the bratty princess tearfully repents "I'm sorry I was so selfish". You never heard Ariel or Pochahontas admit to those faults, but Brave offers a stronger character who, despite her immaturity, may just have grown up before our eyes.
Any complaints about the film are merely the realization of missed opportunities. As mentioned, the mother and daughter conflict is fantastic, but the evolution of this journey is predictable and leaves us wanting more. Other story elements seem more like ideas pitched at the beginning of pre-production rather than fully realized paths, possibly a result of the previous director Brenda Chapman being let go 18 months from release. Chapman, who was heavily involved in many Disney films like The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast presents the traditional Disney template that some will embrace and others will resist becuase this is Pixar, and Pixar forges its own path. It's a trivial observation, but it explains many of the decisions made in the story and song department that often feel all too familiar.
Summary: Despite some surprisingly undeveloped elements in the story, Brave is a lighthearted adventure that has dazzling visuals and a touching story with a positive message highlighting mother and daughter relationships. Its a high recommend for the family.
8 out of 10
Reviewed by Dposadny (follow on twitter @dposadny)
