Brave (2012) - Film Review

If you had the chance to change your fate...would you? Pixar certainly hopes so, especially after the disappointment that was Cars 2 last summer.

Back in all its animated glory, Pixar Animation Studios returns with a new adventure set in Scotland with a fiery red hair heroin, a first for the studio. Brave, featuring the voices of Kelly Macdonald, Emma Thompson, Craig Ferguson and Kevin McKidd tells the story of a young princess, Merida (Kelly Macdonald) who possesses a skill in archery and desires to live a tradition-free life where she can go out and explore the world on her own. But preventing her from doing so is her rule-driven mother, Queen Elinor (voiced by Emma Thompson) who does everything she can to prepare her daughter to become a lady as she comes of age to get married. Balancing out the mother-daughter duo is King Fergus (Billy Connolly), whose carefree and playful spirit foils that of the strict and proper demeanor of his wife's. When Merida gets into an argument with her mother, she rides off into the woods where she encounters a witch, in which she is given the ability to change her own fate.

The narrative of Brave reminded me of such previous Disney movies as Brother Bear and Mulan, but while the first two acts seemed to share similar plot points as those two movies, thankfully Pixar was able to do something slightly different in the final act of the movie. Though I won't give away the ending, I must say that while it was satisfying, it was not groundbreaking but rather conventional. With Pixar's track record to deliver fresh and engaging movies with strong characters, I would say that Brave certainly boasts the "engaging" and "strong characters," but not the "fresh."

What can be appreciated is the impeccable animation, from the intricately drawn curls in Merida's hair to the sweeping Scotland landscape, this movie is truly beautiful. But what is absent is the complexity that the audience have come to know and love (and expect) from Pixar movies.