Brave: Indomable

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".

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!

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.

Brave, Pixar's new animated film, doesn't quite match its predecessors for whimsy, emotion, and awesomeness, but it's a pretty fine movie nonetheless. It has its scary parts, like most Disney movies, but the five year old who saw the movie with me wasn't scared one bit, so you probably won't be, either. But I don't know, she's kind of tough.

Merida (voice of Kelly Macdonald) is the first-born princess in a mythical Scotland kingdom. Unlike most princesses, though, Merida is feisty, passionate, and more willing to shoot a bow and arrow than to be a demure little lady. Sort of the opposite of what her strict mother, Queen Elinor (voice of Emma Thompson) desires.

The feud between headstrong mother and child comes to a head when the former announces there will be a huge party attended by the three other major clans, the head of each bringing along his first-born son to offer to Merida as a husband. It's tradition, of course. That tradition gets upended by Merida's unyielding will, and in her desperate defiance of her mother she encounters a witch (Julie Walters) who grants her a spell that will change Merida's destiny. Not an uncommon theme in these movies; the trouble is that the characters never seem to understand that changing a destiny doesn't mean it's changed for the better. In this case, Merida's destiny - not a spoiler here - is changed in that her mother becomes a bear. Hilarity ensues.

All curses in movies, particularly in animated movies, have some kind of loophole. Here, it's that if Merida can repair a certain bond before two sunrises, she can reverse the spell; otherwise, dear old mum will be a bear forever. For a queen who hardly ever ventures outside her enormous castle, this is quite the fish-out-of-water dilemma.

From an animation standpoint, Brave is elegant without being too flashy. It doesn't try to be overly realistic, with a tremendous attention to detail, like the earlier Pixar films had. Truth be told, the movie has much more of an old-time, traditionally animated Disney film than a new- wave Pixar movie. The movie is presented in 3D and in 2D, and I recommend the latter - if only because there are many dark scenes (in a forest, mostly) that will be rendered indiscernible in 3D, which vacuums light up. Some of the forest scenes are very pretty indeed, specifically those involving the appearance of the will o' the wisp, a spirit that helps Merida find that which she seeks.

The movie is not without its fair share of humor, even slapstick. Merida's father, the King (voice of Billy Connolly) is a rough-and- tumble, huge, no-necked man who's just as soon drink a gallon of ale with you than break your nose. He's also missing a leg, the tale of which he never tires of telling, to the chagrin of his family. Merida also has three little brothers who, being boys, get away with anything they wish, while the poor princess must conform to strict rules of order. Ain't no fun being a princess, apparently.

Brave is a modest movie by Pixar standards, but its plot is a little more enriched than those of its predecessors, with myths, legends, and oral traditions leading the way to, in some cases, more questions. Well, more questions if you're eight years old and want to know more about everyone's intentions. If you are eight years old and are reading this, congratulations - our schools has made you a learny person. In any event, the plot is simple on the surface but contains deeper layers of provocative intrigue, never a bad thing. Kids will either gloss over the details or will find them fascinating.

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.