“Brave” The Review

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By: Michael Alvarez

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Pixar audience is maturing along with its Animation.  I believe this is the first Pixar film with a darker tone meant for the older children.  A slower than usual pace compared to the previous Pixar Films.

 

Brave is the story of Merida (Kelly Mcdonald) a Scottish Princess who dreams of a life filled with marvelous adventures while dredging the day she will become Queen and who happens to be a Marksman in Archery.  If that is not enough her parents King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson) are lining up eligible suitors from neighboring clans in Scotland for her hand in marriage.  An idea the free spirited Merida is not fond of and is willing to thwart at any cost.

 

As I mentioned earlier Pixar recognizes its a

udience is growing older so they are making films to suit them as well.  This is the darkest Pixar film to date with a much gloomier look and a slower pace in the story telling.  In fact although Pixar is known for its Wonderful and Beautiful animation however much more emphasize went on the script for “Brave”.  The story focuses on the Mother/Daughter relationship giving the Mother a much larger role absent from previous Disney and Pixar productions.  Mother’s play a large role in our daily routine and the filmmakers wanted to get that point across with the relationship between Queen Elinor and her teenage daughter Merida which is a major plus. 

 

 

 

The film also does a wonderful job in bringing Scottish folk lore to life such as the bad curses by Witches and the “Will of the Wisps”, magic beings whom guide people to their own destinies.  Variations of Stone Hedge are also seen thru out the film.  The gorgeous Landscapes and Castles of the Highlands of Scotland or also captured with such beauty that you cannot tell the images are computer generated.

 

Billy Connolly is hilarious as King Fergus so is Kevin McKidd who pulled double duty as both Lord MacGuffin and Young Macguffin.  The antics of Craig Ferguson as Lord Macintosh and Robbie Coltrane as Lord Dingwall are not far behind.

 

Overall a very entertaining and fun film for the entire family. 

Related articles

• Disney/Pixar’s BRAVE – “Witch Away” (cinemaic.wordpress.com)
• Disney/Pixar’s BRAVE – Behind the Scenes Featurette! (cinemaic.wordpress.com)
• Disney & Pixar Present: Brave (kymx.radio.com)
• Review: ‘Brave’ is not Pixar’s best, but better than ‘Cars’ (csmonitor.com)
• Disney*Pixar’s “Brave” Targets U.S. Olympic Team for Archery (cinemaic.wordpress.com)
• Review: ‘Brave’ — a hybrid of Pixar and Disney styles, with a top-notch voice cast (mercurynews.com)
• BRAVE / Adventures by Disney Brings “Brave” to Life with New Scotland Itinerary (cinemaic.wordpress.com)
• Interview: Kelly MacDonald, Kevin McKidd and Craig Ferguson From ‘Brave’ (screencrave.com)
• Pixar’s ‘Brave’ Released In Us This Weekend (yahoonews24.wordpress.com)
• Showbiz: Pixar’s only Scot found himself in big demand when studio made Brave (dailyrecord.co.uk)