LAFF 2012 : BRAVE

Disney-Pixar shows why they are at the top of their game with their 13th film BRAVE.

Merida (Kelly MacDonald) is not your typical princess. Rather than being the refined young lady that her mother, the Queen (Emma Thompson), would like her to be, Merida is more concerned with shooting her bow and going on adventures just like her father (Billy Connolly). When her parents decide that it is time for her to marry, Merida finds a loophole in the contest to win her hand and causes chaos with both her family, and the kingdom. Running out of options, Merida turns to a witch for help, only to find more trouble. Now, Merida must dig deep inside herself to break the curse and bring peace to her land.

I absolutely adored this film. It’s refreshing to see a princess movie that doesn’t center around falling in love. Merida wants to choose her own destiny, rather than being told that she must marry. She just isn’t ready for that. Instead, she would rather live her life and make decisions for herself. This is a family tale about courage, bravery and changing your fate, not about a damsel being saved by a  white knight. Merida can save herself! Plus, let’s be serious… her suitors were not exactly the crème de la crème!

BRAVE also deals with the mother-daughter relationship as well. Merida and her mother just cannot see eye-to-eye. The teenage/parent relationship can often be a tricky one and Disney-Pixar really work the topic in while still keeping the movie entertaining.

Merida just might be my new favorite Disney-Pixar character. She is strong, confident, and unapologetic of who she is. Merida might be rough around the edges, but she has a huge heart and a passion for life. She is a wonderful role model for girls of all ages!

Kelly MacDonald was simply exquisite as the voice of Merida. She brought such an innocence to the role, mixed with a rebellious spirit. Besides the incredible voice of Kelly MacDonald, BRAVE has a wonderful cast of voice actors such as Emma Thompson (Queen Elinor), Billy Connolly (King Fergus), Robbie Coltrane (Lord Dingwall), Craig Ferguson (Lord Macintosh), and Kevin McKidd as both Lord MacGuffin and Young MacGuffin.

BRAVE tackles a lot of firsts for Pixar. It’s their first fairy tale,  it’s the first Pixar film with a female protagonist, and it’s even their first period piece. It really seems to fit the motto of the film “Change Your Fate”. Because it is their first fairy tale, I really enjoy that Pixar did not stick to the typical outline. Merida did not need to be rescued, nor did she find, as I said earlier, her knight in shining armor. Merida saved herself, and everyone around her. This sets it apart from other animated features. Pixar is always tackling new adventures, and setting the bar even higher for their next film. They put a great deal of work into BRAVE and it shows.

The amount of detail in the scenery is stunning. The film invites you into the Scottish Highlands, and is beautifully recreated. Blades of grass, the wind blowing through the lands, waterfalls… all have a gorgeous, natural, yet magical feel. Adding Merida, with her gorgeous, tousled red hair flowing over the background, was just genius. The layers of animation all compliment each other in ways that I never thought possible! They stuck to dull colors for the background, making Merida pop and flow through her scenes, while still reflecting the period of time in Scotland. The colors also helped to showcase that this is not your typical princess story. Still, they added hints of color to showcase the magic of the film, such as the Wisps.

BRAVE is a princess story for the modern girl. Courage, bravery, and fun all make for an inspirational tale.

OVERALL RATING: 5 out of 5 stars