Since I am working out of town and away from my family for the summer, I have plenty of free time to see all the big summer movies that catch my eye.
This time around, I decided to see what Pixar would do with their latest film, Brave. I know what your thinking. That's a kids movie. You're right. It is, but I have always appreciated the beauty and incredible production values that the Disney/Pixar partnership have brought to the table, so I figured that this film would be worth seeing.
Set in the Highlands of Scotland at an undisclosed time in the middle ages, Brave is the story of young Princess Merida, Daughter of King Fergus and Queen Elinor. Merida is a strong willed, vibrant soul who wants to be free to make her own decisions in life. Her Parents have other plans, as they feel that she is of an age to be married. It is their desire to find a suitor to be chosen from amongst the clans that owe fealty to her father, thus cemeting the aliances that hold the kingdom together, and establishing the dynasty of a new King. While tom boy Merida has her Father wrapped around her little finger, she and her Mother are often at odds when it comes to her expected behaviour and future path in life.
Central to the plot is the strained relationship between the princess and her mother, a story that I'm sure many young women, and their mothers, can relate to. Knowing what I did about the movie from the various trailers I had seen, I was a more than a little surprised to see the actual direction that this central conflict took. Pleasantly surprised.
Since this is a Disney movie, I was happy to see them include a wealth of Scottish folklore and elements of magic throughout the piece. The bear fixated Woodcarver (read: witch) and the cutsey wil-o-wisps add a nice traditional touch to this coming of age story.
Pixar once again raises the bar by which all animation is measured. The scenery, textures, physics, and characters in this films are ridiculously well crafted. Everything is just so vibrant and fluid in stunning 3D that they leap from the screen right into your heart. Merida's unruly mane of red curls earns special mention, as I can only imagine the time and effort that went into the animation process for something that has almost zero impact on the story itself. Yes, of course, estectially speakng, the willful Scottish lass should be a ginger, but these untamed tresses have to be seen to be believed!
Great for a night out for the family (assuming your kids are older than mine), if you like Disney and Pixar, Brave is an experience that shouldn't be missed.
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