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'brave' review, even though brave is solid from beginning to end, the experience might be a little underwhelming for older viewers who expect pixar to continue pushing the boundaries of animated film storytelling..

Easily one of the most trusted names in animated filmmaking, Pixar is back with another original story for children and adults, alike. Following behind a pair of franchise sequels ( Toy Story 3 and Cars 2 ), with Brave the studio is set to tackle its very first full-length princess fairy tale story - a staple of Disney's hand-drawn animated classics. This round, Pixar alum and John Carter co-writer Mark Andrews is stepping into the director's chair, after the film's creator, Brenda Chapman ( The Prince of Egypt ), left the project following a series of creative differences.

After the mixed response to Cars 2 , which received Pixar's harshest critical lashing to date, has the film studio managed to produce an animated experience that successfully balances a new story, enjoyable characters and groundbreaking visuals for movie lovers of all ages - not just the juice box crowd? Following in the footsteps of films like Up and Wall-E , not to mention franchise threequel Toy Story 3 , does Brave once again raise the bar for animated films?

Fortunately, Brave is a return to form for the studio and delivers plenty of fun for moviegoers from all walks of life. However, for anyone who was especially moved by the studio's more "mature" films - namely the aforementioned Up and Wall-E - Brave could come across as somewhat less ambitious (and subsequently a little underwhelming) - as the core storyline relies on a lot of familiar fairy tale tropes. This isn't to say that the film fails to deliver a competent narrative or charming characters - but, for some, the studio may not have provided as many memorable or thought-provoking story beats this round. But even though Brave may not soar quite as high as some of Pixar's most celebrated efforts, the movie still offers plenty to enjoy - not to mention, a solid mix of traditional princess power coupled with the studio's trademark charm and humor.

Brave (originally titled The Bear and the Bow ) follows reckless tomboy Princess Merida (Kelly Macdonald) whose mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), has been diligently preparing her for a life of royal responsibilities. Unlike more traditional Princesses, Merida takes after her warrior father, King Fergus (Billy Connolly), and would much rather be riding through the forest on horseback firing arrows, or climbing mountains, than dressing for a royal function or practicing proper etiquette. Her rebellious attitude comes to a head when the Queen invites three leaders in the kingdom to present their sons as suitors for Merida, and the Princess makes a deal with a local witch who promises to help change the girl's fate. Unfortunately, the witch's spell results in unexpected consequences, forcing Merida to rethink her obligation as Princess - for the sake of her family as well as the betterment of the kingdom.

As mentioned, while the Brave storyline is definitely entertaining, it's not nearly as innovative as some of Pixar's other works - relying heavily on familiar "be yourself" and "put aside selfish behavior" plot threads. Many of the story beats and dramatic setups will be familiar to most adult moviegoers - making it easy to predict events before they are revealed. Much like its Pixar predecessors, fans will no doubt defend the movie by reminding naysayers that, above all else, Brave is a kids movie - and without question, as a kids movie, the film succeeds. However, adults looking for a contemplative and "mature" animated offering may find Brave to be a bit on-the-nose and too predictable to provide anything more than moment to moment entertainment. As a result, there are plenty of enjoyable comedy and action beats that will appeal to viewers of all ages - there just isn't a lot to unpack after the lights go up.

Those who can relate to Mother/daughter relationships will be able to draw a bit more value out of the onscreen character drama - since the conflict between Merida and Queen Elinor is the central motor of the story. This isn't to say that Brave will only appeal to women, but it doesn't take too long to see that nearly all of the male characters are designed to provide little more than comedy relief. Hollywood is overstuffed with male heroes, so it's refreshing to see Merida (and Queen Elinor) take center stage in the film; although, with so many rash and downright knuckleheaded men running around in the kingdom, some male audience members might have a hard time connecting to the film's emotional touchstones (even though King Fergus and the royal triplets are among the most entertaining players in the film).

That said, even with a number of predictable story beats and a lot of one-note male characters, Brave provides plenty of eye candy for animated film fans. The hair effects alone are incredible - not to mention the gorgeous rolling hills of the Scottish countryside. Additionally, the movie offers a solid story that, in spite of a heavy reliance on familiar archetypes, manages to put a unique stamp on the fairytale genre. Merida isn't exceptionally different from prior Disney Princesses (who yearn to be free of their responsibilities and live a "normal" life) but the similarities won't prevent audiences from identifying with the character or her personal journey.

Like most animated films, Brave is screening in 3D and, like most animated films, the movie looks sharp in the premium format - rarely relying on "jump out of the screen" gags. Consequently, either version of the film is recommendable - since the 3D effect is neither distracting nor essential to enjoying the onscreen action.

While it doesn't break a lot of new ground, Brave is a beautiful and competent entry in Disney's robust fairytale film pedigree - one that is sure to dazzle younger viewers. Princess Merida will, without question, have no trouble competing alongside iconic Mouse House heroines like Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine, and Ariel, as one of Disney's best animated leading ladies. Nonetheless, even though Brave is solid from beginning to end, the experience might be a little underwhelming for older viewers who expect Pixar to continue pushing the boundaries of animated film storytelling with another "mature" offering. Ultimately, it's an easy film to recommend, but some ardent cinephiles might want to temper their lofty expectations.

If you’re still on the fence about Brave , check out the trailer below:

[poll id="337"]

Let us know what you thought of the film in the comment section below.

Follow me on Twitter @ benkendrick for future reviews, as well as movie, TV, and gaming news.

Brave is Rated PG for some scary action and rude humor. Now playing in theaters.

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Brave Reviews

Many daughters, young and old, can relate to this kind of story about the plans and expectations that their mothers have for them that differ from their own interests.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Feb 18, 2024

Merida becomes a rare kind of protagonist, whose lesson tells a rapt audience that defying customs is okay, as long as we take responsibility for our actions and consider the ones we love in the process.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Oct 4, 2022

A powerful and relevant story wrapped up in gorgeous animation and one of the best soundtracks of the year.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Aug 19, 2022

At ten, “Brave” is less flashy and way more modest than the other Pixar and Disney films it sits against. But it is that gentleness and wonderfully specific earnestness that distinguish it for the better.

Full Review | Jun 26, 2022

In the end, Brave really does mark a return to quality for Pixar.

Full Review | Feb 11, 2022

You're not going to see a more beautiful, eye-appealing movie than Brave this year.

Full Review | Original Score: A+ | Sep 18, 2021

I was pulled in by the film with fair ease, but eventually it seemed unsure where to go, and ultimately I don't think it really ever found a path of its own

Full Review | Jul 2, 2021

Brave, the new film from Pixar, is the most beautiful movie I've seen in years.

Full Review | Mar 10, 2021

Effectively creates its own world and mythology it would be easy to think it is an old tale updated by the story shamans at Pixar, but it's a new story that feels timeless.

Full Review | Original Score: 4.5/5 | Jan 31, 2021

A grandly mediocre accomplishment.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/10 | Dec 1, 2020

The script is too fundamental and possesses a predictability that is not usually found in Pixar films.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.0/4.0 | Sep 4, 2020

Brave is a charming diversion lacking the inspiration needed to make it linger in the memory.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 14, 2020

...try as they might to dress up Brave's conventional story with delicious visuals in hopes of balancing its faults, the film remains a substandard Pixar production that lacks the inventive creativity that we've all come to love and expect.

Full Review | Feb 9, 2020

However, what the film lacks in originality, it makes up for in technical and animated excellence.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 9, 2019

Be transported to ancient Scotland and a land of magic and adventure. The most visually stunning animated film of the year, Brave hits the bullseye! Move over Katniss! Merida's in town!

Full Review | Nov 26, 2019

...call me picky, but it seems a shame that a movie devoted to demolishing an outdated stereotype of female subservience enlists legion hall of hoary stereotypes to do so.

Full Review | Jul 31, 2019

There's plenty of rowdy humor to keep audiences entertained. But for a supposedly progressive film, Brave is marked by a notable amount of timidity.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jun 20, 2019

Merida is an appealing heroine, and the colorful cast of characters is great fun, voiced by a lineup of outstanding talent such as Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters and Craig Ferguson.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Jun 8, 2019

I enjoy watching it but it could have been a real masterpiece.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Apr 19, 2019

The mother-daughter relationship is the film's strength, with some heartfelt exchanges that feel as authentic as most live action films.

Full Review | Apr 11, 2019

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Review: Pixar’s ‘Brave’ Is A Powerful But Wobbly Feminist Fairy Tale

Drew taylor.

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For those wanting to go in cold, there are some spoilers ahead.

There are a lot of firsts associated with “ Brave ,” Disney / Pixar ‘s new feature, set in the misty Scottish highlands. It’s the studio’s first period piece (“ The Incredibles ‘” captivating retro-futurism doesn’t count, it seems), their first fairy tale, and their first film led by a female character (in this case Princess Merida, voiced with strength and conviction by Kelly Macdonald ). It was, at one point, also the studio’s first movie directed by a woman ( Brenda Chapman ). And it’s these firsts, combined with a charming atmosphere and layers of genuine heart, that make you want to love “Brave” more than you actually do. Because for all these breakthroughs, “Brave” feels hopelessly safe, less a Pixar trailblazer than yet another entry in the Disney princess line of films and products. Brave it is not.

Over the years Pixar has gotten a lot of flak over its lack of female characters. While this isn’t completely fair (the speech Elastigirl gives Violet in “The Incredibles” is Feminism 101, and the gender-bending, rainbow-colored female bird Kevin in “ Up ” was sufficiently progressive) but there is enough of a void to make “Brave” seem really big and important – a feminist fairy tale from Pixar? Fuck yeah!

What’s so interesting about the marketing of “Brave” is that all the footage and artwork thus far released has been culled from the first twenty minutes or so of the movie. It’s in this stretch that we meet fair Merida (Macdonald), her bright red hair an unwieldy tangle, who lives in a kingdom with her mother Queen Elinor ( Emma Thompson ) and father King Fergus ( Billy Connolly ) as well as three annoying, rambunctious brothers (the triplets Harris, Hubert and Hamish). Merida is less interested in the finery of being a princess (the tenets taught, stringently, by the queen), and more interested in shooting her bow (she’s an ace archer) and riding through the highlands with her trusty steed Angus. All of this stuff is beautiful and captivating, the camera gliding over trees and hilltops, everything rendered in a kind of vibrant, slightly heightened realism. And when what appears to be the main thrust of the story kicks in – Merida’s family wanting her to engage in the selection of a suitor – it’s so good you start to vibrate.

The lord of three kingdoms show up to woo her (led by Craig Ferguson , Robbie Coltrane and Kevin McKidd , of course), each more pathetic than the last. Merida can barely keep from rolling her eyes, and when a physical test is proposed, the winner of which will win her hand, she eagerly suggests archery. During the game she steps up, takes off her royal garb, and says she wants to attempt for her own hand. (Of course, she totally owns the archery.) It’s a powerful sentiment, the most unabashedly feminist moment in recent fairy tale memory (dating back to at least 1998’s “ Mulan ,” which featured a princess who, before that, was an androgynous, cross-dressing warrior) and it makes you want to stand up and pump your fist with pride (if you’re more out of touch you might scream out something like “You go girl!” but we wouldn’t suggest it).

It’s just that, *spoilers* after this sequence, the most memorable and moving of the film, it totally switches gears. The queen is furious at Merida, and can’t understand why she would do something that she feels is totally selfish (if Merida doesn’t take the hand of one of the suitors, it could lead to kingdom-wide war like something out of “ Game of Thrones ” except with less boobs and beheadings). Merida, outraged, grabs Angus and heads for the hills (quite literally). In a brief prologue it was established that Merida can see into the magical realm, drawn there by small spirits called “wisps” (their design and function owes a debt to Hayao Miyazaki ’s bobby-headed spirits in “ Princess Mononoke ”) which are supposed to point you in the direction of your fate. On this day, they lead Merida to a ramshackle house anyone who’s read a storybook would know to avoid.

In the house is where the movie really begins – it’s where Merida meets a mysterious Wise Woman ( Julie Walters ), a witch who is obsessed with wood-carvings of bears, and who offers Merida the chance to change her mother (with the help of a little dark magic cake). Returning to the castle, Merida gives her mother the magic cake, thinking that it will change her mind. Instead, it literally transforms the queen – into a huge, hulking bear. That’s right – “Brave” is really about a princess who accidentally transforms her mother into a bear . The movie changes, too, going from the tale of a plucky young girl who discovers herself and her power (and causes everyone else to acknowledge the same) to being both broader and more simplistic. It’s now about the relationship between her and her mother (Pixar can never walk away from a good buddy movie set-up), and instead of a young girl’s empowerment it’s about things like responsibility, entitlement, selfishness and communication. Things get much, much less interesting.

And it’s a huge shame, too. The bear transformation takes the wind out of the movie. What would have been amazing would have been if her self-empowerment somehow melded with her relationship with the magical world and she could have brought magic back to a land that had stopped believing in it, just as she starts to really believe in herself. But instead it’s an awkward buddy movie, made all the more awkward by the fact that the bear doesn’t talk, it just kind of growls around. The design of the movie remains unflaggingly brilliant — in particular the design of the queen bear seems at once familiar and altogether new (a rare feat considering how many animated bears, from Baloo to “Brother Bear,” we’ve seen throughout the years), and while the stakes don’t seem particularly high, especially since the queen was kind of a bitch to our more innately lovable princess, but the idea that, if the spell holds, the soul of the queen will evaporate from the bear’s body is pretty nifty.

Unfortunately, the script for “Brave,” worked on by Chapman, Steve Purcell , Irene Mecchi , and Chapman’s directorial successor, Mark Andrews , is wobbly and overtly segmented, with each section of the movie never having enough time to fully breathe or gain any traction. Some sections of the movie are just tonally amiss – there’s some truly clumsy narration that bookends the film and a moment when Merida returns to the witch’s hut and is greeted with a magical “answering machine” that feels like it was cut-and-pasted from an entirely different movie altogether. The last act, in particular, is a mess, with complicated relationships having to get tidily wrapped up, a whole lot of magical mumbo jumbo being unleashed on the kingdom (amusingly, the triplets take a bite of the same magic cake and turn into adorable cubs), various clans on the brink of PG-rated skirmishes, and, hilariously, a moment towards the end where Merida goes out of her way to assure middle-American audiences that she is not a lesbian (even though she totally is and the movie would have been much stronger if it had actually admitted it). *end spoilers*

While “Brave” would have just been a cute, visually dazzling but ultimately disappointing Pixar movie, it feels graver and more serious because it’s been this long since they’ve taken on a female protagonist and this really should have been a bolder, more experimental exercise. In the last few years, like clans of Scottish tribesman, the houses of Disney and Pixar have begun to merge (for evidence look no further than the Randy Newman songs in “ The Princess and the Frog ” or the newly opened Carsland expansion in Disney California Adventure ), and “Brave” seems like a natural progression of that melding. This doesn’t feel like “ WALL-E ,” it feels like “ Tangled .” And “Tangled” (and “Brave”) are perfectly fine animated movies, with “Brave” at times reaching staggering emotional depths in the mother/daughter relationship, but it’s not enough. It’s too unfocused and cute and lacking in memorable set pieces (an enraged, enchanted bear named Mordu can’t even scare up any excitement). In the end, “Brave” stops just short of being truly magical. [B]

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Brave : The Princess and Her Unbearable Mom

It takes a while, but the new Pixar movie about a Scottish princess reveals its grand artistry and a Brave heart

Disney princesses have a rough time with the women who run their lives. The female authority figure is usually a stepmother — in Disney animated features, the inevitable phrase would be “wicked stepmother” — who offers Snow White a poisoned apple, forces scullery work on Cinderella and, in Tangled , locks Rapunzel in a high tower for her entire childhood and most of her adolescence. The millions of actual stepmoms, among all the postnuclear families in the world, must think of these portrayals as libel. They should bring a class-action suit against the Walt Disney Company and picket its Burbank headquarters.

Up in the San Francisco suburb of Emeryville, where the Pixar kids play, movie mothers are nearly invisible. Virtually every one of Pixar’s CGI masterpieces (or, in the case of Cars and its sequel, Mater-pieces) is a buddy film limning the virtues of camaraderie. The studio might be a boys’ treehouse with a warning sign nailed to the front: NO MOMS ALLOWED.

(LIST: Corliss’s all-TIME Top 25 Animated Features )

And, until now, no women directors. Before Brave , Pixar’s old-boy network had never designed a feature film around a female character, never put a woman in charge of it. As director, Pixar boss John Lasseter brought in Brenda Chapman, who had co-directed DreamWorks’ The Prince of Egypt in 1998 and who had a scenario based on her complex relationship with her own young daughter. Presto: Gender equality in the world’s premier animation house!

Except that Chapman was removed halfway through in favor of Mark Andrews, a Pixar veteran who served as co-writer and second unit director of John Carter . There were whispers that Chapman had got lost in the thickets of story, that the movie needed a hand — a man’s hand — to make it more of an action film, less a Mother’s Day card.

(READ: Joel Stein on Pixar and Brave )

The story — of a rebellious princess who battles an imperious queen and is beset by magic spells — is a twist for Pixar but as familiar to its parent company Disney as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , Beauty and the Beast and The Princess and the Frog . One big difference: the woman who makes the heroine’s life miserable is not her stepmother but her own mom.

In ancient Scotland, Merida (voiced by Kelly Macdonald) is a lass as wild as her curly red mane. An expert in archery, like The Hunger Games ’ Katniss, Merida feels closer to the bear-hunting machismo of her father, King Fergus (Billy Connolly), than to the civilizing demands of her mother Elinor (Emma Thompson). She snorts when she laughs, filches food from the pantry, just because she can, and runs free through the bear-infested woods. She’s both a tomboy and a sullen teen who responds to her mother’s every request by flopping on the nearest piece of furniture and whining, in two harsh syllables, “Mah-ahm!”

When the Queen imports three unsuitable suitors as prospective husbands, Merida causes havoc in the realm by declaring she’ll marry no one but herself. “I hope you die!” she screams at the woman who gave her life. In a rage, Merida visits a witch (Julie Walters), hoping for a magic spell that will change her mother. It does. Reviewers’ etiquette requires that we speak no more of it. If you want to know what happens in the movie’s Act Two, buy a subscription to TIME and read the review in last week’s issue.

(READ: Corliss’ full review of Brave by subscribing to TIME)

Replacing the person in charge is a Pixar tradition (it happened on Toy Story 2 , Ratatouille , WALL•E and Cars 2 ), but the creative tension between two directors, a man and a woman, is evident from the tug of tones in Brave ’s telling: part hearty, part heartfelt. The movie spends its first half in brawny highlands humor — fighting, carousing, spit takes, guy stuff — and a lot of Scots stereotyping, as if they were Australians or something. Then it abruptly left-turns into the primal bonding of mother and daughter.

(READ: Graeme McMillan on Pixar’s problems with stereotypes )

However Manichaean the process of creating the movie, Brave is visually organic. It jettisons the sleek old Pixar shapes of toys, cars and robots — all relatively easy to animate — for images of untamed nature, from Merida’s hair to the copses and crags of imaginary Scotland. Visually the most ravishing and complex Pixar movie, Brave evokes memories of Walt Disney’s early experiments with the multiplane camera, but with the more persuasive intricacies available to CGI artists.

The movie takes nearly an hour to reach its central themes: that someone we think is a beast may love us to pieces, that teen rebellion can have dreadful consequences and that, sometimes, even a Scots mother can have a Brave heart. By the climax, at which all right-thinking viewers will have dissolved in a puddle of warm appreciation, the new Pixar film has earned two cheers and a big bear hug. Now maybe some animation studio will make a really radical movie: one with a nice, caring stepmother.

‘Brave’ Movie Review (2012)

By Brad Brevet

Scotland… the rolling hills, sun-dappled glens and picturesque lochs all come to mind, but for Pixar’s Brave we head into the rugged highlands, terrain just as inviting with towering castles and mountains that penetrate the sky, making for a landscape so beautiful you’d think only dreams could conjure such majesty. Such a place seems perfect for the visionary wizards at Pixar. The history of the area is equally ripe with inspiration and with Brave directors Brenda Chapman and Mark Andrews attempt to shape a small piece of Scottish history of their own. Unfortunately, they fail miserably.

To say Brave is the worst film to come out of Pixar to date is a bit misleading. Considering most would probably take Pixar’s worst over so many other studios’ best is a reality and yes, I know the Cars franchise has its detractors. Lightning McQueen and friends didn’t make for perfect films, but I’d argue for Cars and its sequel every day of the week before supporting this tedious excuse for a story ever again.

If it wasn’t for the stunning animation and one specific riverside scene where they almost capture authentic emotion, you’d be hard-pressed to convince me Brave actually was a Pixar film. There is no life; no heart to it. The story is an afterthought and, to be quite honest, I’m surprised it was ever green lit.

After starting out under the title The Bear and the Bow with Reese Witherspoon set to voice the lead character, the film was scheduled for Christmas 2011. Then, talk quieted until it was suddenly revealed Chapman was off the project midway through production, replaced by Andrews and the film would now be titled Brave . The story idea came from Chapman and I have no clue when the three additional credited screenwriters — Andrews, Steve Purcell and Irene Mecchi — came aboard the production, but it plays on the screen like a story mangled into incoherence. In fact, to say it’s much of a story at all is a stretch.

Brave begins with us getting to know princess Merida, appropriately voiced by the talented Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald (“Boardwalk Empire”). Merida is a spirited and adventurous young girl, obsessed with shooting her bow and roaming free over the land. Her mother (Emma Thompson), however, expects her to fulfill her duties as a princess and is preparing her for the day in which she will pick a suitor from one of the three neighboring clans. As you’d expect, that day has arrived, but Merida isn’t interested.

It’s at this point you can see entirely what they were going for; a strong willed heroine that won’t conform to tradition against her will. She’s not against marriage entirely (though she sort of is), but she’s certainly not in favor of being forced into doing so, and who can blame her? On top of that, once you see the three jokers vying for her hand you too would want to run away, which is exactly what Merida does, deep into the forest where we’ve already seen hints of magic before and will soon see more.

After making her escape on her trusty steed, Merida comes to rest in the middle of some strange Stonehenge-esque structure when she notices a trail of tiny blue flames known as Wisps. She remembers these from her childhood and the story of how they can change a person’s fate, something she most certainly wants to do in her efforts to rebel against her mother.

Deeper into the forest she goes until she happens on a small house built into a hillside. Inside resides a witch (voiced by Julie Walters) whom Merida convinces to concoct a spell to help change her fate, a decision that will not only affect her, but her whole family.

I only wish I could go into what happens next and it’s killing me not to, but I see no reason in spoiling a moment you won’t believe is all they came up with after what was actually a decent enough setup. By the film’s end I was left staring at the screen, searching for any rhyme or reason Chapman and Andrews would lead Pixar’s team of talented storytellers down a road that led nowhere.

One thing can be said, they definitely didn’t go for cliche, but in their attempt to create Pixar’s first female heroine they ended up creating a brat of a child whose accomplishments appear to be more self-serving than deserved, even if we know better. Her mother may have been strict and a bad communicator, but if they wanted the audience to care one lick for the character that goes pouting off into the woods when she doesn’t get her way, it’s best to make sure she’s given a chance to redeem herself or at least learn from the situation. I’m not convinced she was able to accomplish either of those goals.

On a more positive note, the animation is spectacular. Stories leading up to the film’s release have been sure to point out the technology that went into creating Merida’s fiery nest of red hair and the 1,500 individually sculpted curves necessary to tame it. This is actually a fact you better hold onto if you’re looking to appreciate anything this film has to offer, because there isn’t much more as even the color is drained out of the story as the film moves on.

Dark forests are the order of the day, the blue Wisps dancing in the darkness and Merida’s red hair burning hot, but for a film set in such a lush environment it was a shame to see not only the story devoid of appeal, but the landscape as well.

In terms of overall entertainment, I got a few chuckles out of Merida’s tart-thieving younger brothers — Hamish, Harris and Hubert — but these wordless little triplets were nothing more than tame comedy relief in-between moments of monotony as I never cared where the story would ultimately end, I only wished it would do so and do so quickly.

It’s a shame this film is such a miss. It’s a wasted opportunity and probably the first Pixar film I have ever seen that I absolutely have zero desire to ever visit again. Brave is a different kind of “bad” film. You can see the talent at work, but it lacks direction and purpose. I get the feeling someone felt there was something important they wanted to say, but were either too scared to say it or just couldn’t find the words. Either way, it doesn’t work, and the story should have been trashed and rewritten following the end of Act One.

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DVD & Streaming
Action/Adventure , Animation , Comedy , Drama , Kids , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Content Caution

In Theaters

June 22, 2012
Voices of Kelly Macdonald as Princess Merida; Emma Thompson as Queen Elinor; Billy Connolly as King Fergus; Kevin McKidd as Lord MacGuffin/Young MacGuffin; Robbie Coltrane as Lord Dingwall; Craig Ferguson as Lord Macintosh

Home Release Date

November 13, 2012
Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell, Brenda Chapman

Distributor

Walt Disney

Movie Review

To be a Disney princess is to have mommy issues.

Snow White’s stepmother wanted to kill her. Cinderella’s wanted to lock her up. In Tangled , Rapunzel’s wanted to comb the ever-loving life out of her hair. And Princess Merida—a headstrong young lass with a spirit as fiery as her own unruly hair? Her mother wants her to grow up to be … a bride.

Practically every day, Elinor trains Merida in the finer points of ladyship: how to stand, how to eat, how to talk, how to walk. She teaches her lute-playing and schools her in the kingdom’s history and geography. “A princess strives for, well, perfection,” Elinor tells her. And only perfection is good enough. The lessons are relentless, and with each new rule, familiar scold and look of disappointment Elinor piles on, Merida feels as if her life’s not her own. That she’s imprisoned in a world of her mom’s making.

And now the final lock is in place: Elinor’s marrying Merida off. And not to the kilted boy next door, either, but to the son of one of the kingdom’s three fractious lords. She’s to be the grand prize in an archery contest, and whatever union results won’t be of love, but of duty—duty to the clans and the kingdom.

Merida’s having none of it.

In a breathtaking moment of rebellion, she competes for her own hand and wins it, enraging the lords and infuriating the queen. But Merida’s not done. Back in the castle, she slices through a tapestry depicting her family—severing Elinor from Merida’s side.

“You’re a beast!” Merida shouts at her. “I’d rather die than be like you!”

The argument grows uglier, and Merida flees from the castle with her face as red as her lashes, tears streaming down her cheeks … as she finds herself in the cottage of an old, mysterious witch with a passion for woodcarving. When the witch tries to sell Merida a bit of her handiwork, the princess suggests a different deal: I’ll buy all your woodstuffs if you sell me a spell.

“Change my mom,” Merida says. “That will change my fate.”

Positive Elements

We’ve come to expect a lot from Disney’s brilliant animated adjunct, Pixar—beautiful art, great comedy and, most of all, fantastic storytelling. Pixar’s stories are rooted in relationships, and the studio manages to examine even the most fractious with honesty, sensitivity and grace.

Merida and Elinor’s difficult, complex relationship lies at the very soul of Brave . But while Merida may think her mother’s a beast, and Elinor might consider Merida a brat, there are no villains here: only two strong, caring and (might as well say it) brave women who, in spite of their differences, love each other very much.

Throughout the course of the movie, Elinor does change: Given a new perspective, she’s able to see Merida not as merely a flawed project but as a growing, confident young woman—more capable and mature than she had imagined. Moreover, she moves the kingdom away from the formulaic betrothal process it’s historically embraced. Instead of claiming the princess like a blue ribbon at a fair, a potential suitor must now (as a lord tells us) win her heart before he wins her hand.

But it’s Merida who changes more here. She discovers that her mother, far from being a beast, has loved and cared for her as much as anyone. She realizes that all those lessons were important—that she has responsibilities and duties that she can’t shirk or run away from. In Brave , Merida grows up before our eyes—not physically, but emotionally.

Elinor and Merida wind up risking their lives for each other, and their contentious-but-beautiful bond mimics, in its own surreal way, many a mother-daughter relationship. We see here a mom’s need to prepare her kids for the real world, a daughter’s desire for freedom and the ability to make her own decisions. Those teen years can be difficult in many households. Brave doesn’t tell us otherwise. But it asks us to remember that when you strip away all the differences and all the hurt, the bond between mother and daughter is a thing of transcendent beauty.

Spiritual Elements

As mentioned, Brave is inflected with magic. It’s not the flyweight wand-waving of Cinderella or the more naturalistic conjurations of Harry Potter . Rather, it’s something more in step with the story’s ancient Scottish setting: Here, magic is mysterious. Enigmatic. Dark.

The witch works her magic through a giant cauldron and is assisted by a not-so-cute crow. Several times, Merida follows a trail of will-o’-the-wisps—strange, floating lights that her mother tells her will “lead you to your fate.” The first time she follows them, they lead to Mordu, a huge “demon bear” that bites off her father’s leg. The next time she sees them, she’s lying in a Stonehenge-like circle—a magic ring her horse refuses to enter—and the wisps’ trail leads to the witch’s door. A third time they take her to Mordu’s lair, where she discovers the bear’s dark, magical past and nearly gets herself killed.

The film seems to reflect, perhaps, a pre-Christian Scotland, when druidic influence was still strong. And while the movie’s narrative makes it clear that Merida’s dealings with the witch are ill-advised, they also help, indirectly, get her out of her betrothal.

We also hear a great deal of talk about “fate” and “destiny,” usually pushed into the realm of social expectations more than anything spiritual. A woodcarving mimics Michelangelo’s painting of God and Adam from the Sistine Chapel, only the figures are bears.

Sexual Content

Suddenly finding herself naked in a field—under a tapestry—Elinor causes a bit of a stir among the nobles. She and her husband, King Fergus, smooch, which makes Merida pretty uncomfortable.

Though dead-set against being betrothed, Merida does seem to perk up when she thinks a massive, muscled Scotsman might be one of her suitors. He’s not. Later we see him wooing one of the castle’s servants.

A servant woman sports a robust amount of cleavage. And one of Merida’s precocious brothers dives his hand into said cleavage to retrieve a key. It’s suggested that Fergus pinches Elinor’s rear. A suitor flexes his pecs; a handful of maidens swoon at his exploits.

Violent Content

There’s a reason why Romans built a wall between England and Scotland. We see the king, his lords and their contingencies squabble over pride and other minor matters—hitting, kicking, biting, nipple-pinching and eye-gouging in a raucous slapstick scene. Elinor eventually grabs Fergus and the lords by their ears and drags them out of the melee to make the fighting stop.

We don’t see Fergus lose his leg, but we do see some of the confrontations with bears—battles that involve swords and arrows and claws and teeth. Two bears get into a fight in which one is killed (crushed by a rock). Merida’s injured by the swipe of a bear claw.

A servant runs into a pole. Merida falls from her horse.

Crude or Profane Language

Namecalling includes “hag” and “troll.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

Fergus drinks from a flagon. Merida suggests that her dad and the lords celebrate something by going down to the cellar and cracking open Fergus’ private stores.

Other Negative Elements

The triplets engage in a number of stunts and pranks, exasperating the adults but rarely earning an admonishment. They also run around naked. (They’re shown from behind.) Fergus, along with several lords and soldiers, are seen (also from behind) without pants. A lord moons his compatriots.

Elinor gets queasy after eating a tart-like confection, burping and gagging. A stock Disney “follow your heart” refrain gives a touch of heartburn. And a dish of haggis induces gags.

Brave is a quite good tale deftly told, filled with moments of insight, beauty and humor. And of course the animation is amazing. But in terms of content, it cowers ever so slightly. Bear rears and bare rears wriggle across the screen. Lords moon one another. Magic coats the Scottish highlands like so much dark frosting.

Brave also can be scary. This place is populated by fearsome beasts, hidden dangers and unexpected threats. And the subject matter can play on a child’s deepest fears. For sensitive, younger kids, Brave may well spark a nightmare or two.

Which brings me back to something I wrote earlier: We’ve come to expect a lot from Pixar. Ever since the release of Toy Story in 1995, the studio has dazzled us with some of the finest, most family-friendly movies ever. In this humble reviewer’s opinion, not even Disney in its golden age (1939-47) or renaissance (1989-2000) can match Pixar’s present run.

All of which sets up Brave as a bit of a disappointment … except in the area of its familial lessons learned by both mother and daughter. They’re not just magical: They’re practical. They’re discerning. And they’re inspiring.

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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Common sense media reviewers.

Mother-daughter princess tale has some very scary scenes.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Kids will pick up some stuff about Scotland: the c

Themes include communication, courage, and self-co

Merida is strong-willed, stubborn, and smart: She

There are several intense/scary scenes in Brave re

Fergus and Elinor are an affectionate married coup

Although there are no product placements in the ac

The Scotsmen gather in the castle for a feast befo

Educational Value

Kids will pick up some stuff about Scotland: the culture, the clans, the ancient dress, the idea that noble girls were often forced to marry out of obligation and alliance rather than love. They will also learn a bit about Scottish lore regarding the druid witch and will o' the wisps.

Positive Messages

Themes include communication, courage, and self-control. The movie focuses on how an at-odds mother and daughter can mend their relationship and learn from each other. A mother is fierce when it comes to defending her daughter, and vice versa. The way that Merida and Elinor work together is a beautiful tribute to the bond between mother and child. The movie also teaches the idea that "legends are lessons" -- stories that can teach us all about follies like pride, greed, and selfishness.

Positive Role Models

Merida is strong-willed, stubborn, and smart: She wants to find her own way in the world, not be tied to a suitor for betrothal before she's ready for marriage. While she's independent and brave, she does make a misguided decision about how to deal with her disagreement with her mother. Elinor has many of the same qualities she has trouble dealing with in her daughter. She's a kind, intelligent queen with a strong sense of duty and how she must comport herself. During their shared ordeal, both mother and daughter learn to think more like the other, and, as a result, they each change for the better. Many of the supporting characters -- especially the clan chiefs and their warriors -- are broadly caricatured for the sake of humor; they brawl constantly, make rude noises, etc.

Violence & Scariness

There are several intense/scary scenes in Brave revolving around a giant, frightening bear; some of them may be too much for younger or more sensitive kids. The bear attacks King Fergus in the opening sequence (viewers learn that it tore off his leg; he has a wooden stump), and later it rages against Merida, Elinor, and the entire congregation of Scottish clansmen. Possible spoiler alert : Elinor's transformation into a bear is mostly funny, but in one scene that could upset younger kids, she becomes more bear than mother and growls menacingly at Merida. Young kids might also be frightened when the men (including Fergus) take arms against bear-Elinor and are set on killing her. The climactic battle between the bears and the clan gets very tense, especially when it looks like Merida or Elinor will be hurt. Some of the scenes with the witch may also be scary for kids -- she's mostly harmless, but her hut is spooky, and she comes off as creepy herself. The will o' the wisps are eerie and a bit ominous. The Scotsmen fight constantly, using both their bodies (hands, fists, teeth, feet) and weapons (swords, arrows, etc.) on their opponents.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Fergus and Elinor are an affectionate married couple; he smacks her on the bum, and, later, when she's naked under a sheet (nothing is seen below her neck), he stares at her until she reminds him that others are around, too. The men are naked under their kilts, and in a couple of scenes, animated naked rear ends (both of adult men and young boys) are briefly glimpsed. A housemaid has ample cleavage.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Although there are no product placements in the actual film, Brave already has much merchandise available: dolls, costumes, apps, storybooks, a soundtrack, video games, apparel, and more.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

The Scotsmen gather in the castle for a feast before it devolves into a brawl, and there are steins of drink, presumably some sort of mead or ale, but it's not referenced, and no one is represented as drunk.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Brave is pretty scary for a "princess movie," especially for kids under 7 and/or those who are very sensitive to peril. Several intense sequences involve a large angry bear that attacks the main characters -- which are even more so when seen in 3-D -- and ( possible spoiler alert ) a possibly disturbing but mostly comical transformation of a mother into a bear. A moment when the mom-turned-bear temporarily forgets she's human and growls at her daughter could upset younger kids. There's also a lot of brawling among the Scotsmen, who use both weapons (arrows, swords, etc.) and their bodies (fists, teeth) on each other. The first Pixar movie to revolve around a female main character, Brave does have a strong message about family relationships and open communication between parents and kids (particularly mothers and daughters). There's no romance for Princess Merida, but you can expect a few jokes about men being naked under their kilts; a couple of scenes even include quick glimpses of naked cartoon bums belonging to men and three young boys. Although there are no product placements in the movie, there's a ton of Brave merchandise available, particularly aimed at girls. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Parents say (156)
Kids say (151)

Based on 156 parent reviews

Scarier Than Usual For An Animated Movie

What's the story.

BRAVE is Pixar's first feature with a female main character, and Merida isn't your typical princess. Brought up in the Scottish kingdom of DunBroch, Princess Merida (voiced by Kelly Macdonald ) would rather sling her arrows than learn the proper etiquette befitting a future queen. When the realm's three other clans arrive to present their leaders' firstborn sons as potential suitors for betrothal, Merida rebels against her regal mother, Queen Elinor ( Emma Thompson ), and runs away to the forest. Following a will o' the wisp, Merida encounters a witch ( Julie Walters ) who conjures a magical cake to "change the queen." But when the queen eats the magical treat, it's not her mind that changes; she ( possible spoiler alert! ) transforms into a giant black bear -- exactly like the bear that took the "Bear King" Fergus' ( Billy Connolly ) leg a decade earlier. With her mother a bear and her father on the hunt, Merida must find out how to break the spell before her mother stays a bear forever -- or worse, is killed by the king and his men.

Is It Any Good?

This movie a great mother-daughter tale -- it's just not quite the warrior princess story you might have hoped for. There's still a lot to love about Brave . The animation is breathtaking -- particularly Merida's blazing red curls, which are so detailed that you can imagine touching them strand by mesmerizing strand. But there's also the lush green and blue landscapes, the dark and majestic interiors, the haunting light of the blue will o' the wisps luring Merida deeper into the forest. And for once, a princess story stays centered on the princess' personal development rather than her romantic prospects. Plus, the acting is superb, thanks to the mostly Scottish ensemble unleashing their heaviest brogues. Most voice actors record their parts separately, so it's remarkable how beautifully Thompson and Macdonald interact. The emotion between mother and daughter is remarkably genuine and believably fraught; even when Elinor is in bear form, she's still fussing at Merida to get her weapon off their makeshift dinner table.

The only problem with Brave is that it doesn't quite live up to Pixar's own record of originality and sophistication. There's nothing terribly out of this world about the story -- it's simple and sweet but not "never seen before" like Toy Story , Finding Nemo , or WALL-E . And Merida, for all of her virtues, is still very much a self-absorbed teen trying to find the easy answer to her problems (relying on a spell to change your mother's mind is a hilariously bound-to-fail idea). Is it leagues above most other animated films in terms of artistry? Yes. Is Merida a worthy alternative to the stereotypical princess? Absolutely. But this isn't among Pixar's best, and that's a tiny bit of a disappointment.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about what kind of princess Merida is in Brave . How does she compare to the other Disney princesses? How is her story similar to and different from theirs? This could be the first princess movie in which there's no romance. What do you think of the shift in focus from love story to mother-and-daughter tale? Do you think that makes Brave more appealing to more people?

Kids: Did you find the movie scary? How does it compare to other princess/animated movies you've seen?

How do the characters in Brave demonstrate communication , courage , and self-control ? Why are these important character strengths ?

Brave has strong female role models, but what about the men/boys? Which male characters do you think are portrayed as role models?

Kids: What made you want to see this movie -- the story, or all the product tie-ins? Do kids want a product because Merida is pictured on it?

Movie Details

In theaters : June 22, 2012
On DVD or streaming : November 13, 2012
Cast : Billy Connolly , Emma Thompson , Kelly Macdonald
Directors : Brenda Chapman , Mark Andrews
Inclusion Information : Female actors
Studio : Pixar Animation Studios
Genre : Family and Kids
Topics : Magic and Fantasy , Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More , Adventures
Character Strengths : Communication , Courage , Self-control
Run time : 100 minutes
MPAA rating : PG
MPAA explanation : some scary action and rude humor
Awards : Academy Award , Golden Globe
Last updated : February 25, 2024

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Disney and Pixar have taken an unexpected turn by going more classic than usual, but still with a few new quirks. The arrival of Brave prompts reflection on how rarely their films have featured normal human characters, and how few of those characters have been girls. In addition, the movie has a central theme that is fairly novel even in the long history of Disney – a strong mother-daughter relationship, in which the mother is neither a tragic memory or of the “evil step-” persuasion.

Kelly Macdonald leads the cast of Brave as Merida, a headstrong princess of the Scottish Highlands. She is the firstborn and only daughter of King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). Raised among the wild heather and misty mountains, she has a deeply romantic soul. This is not your typical Disney princess rendition of romance. In fact, it has no essential connection to losing one’s heart to a prince. Adventure is Merida’s first love, and above all she longs for the freedom to determine her own fate. Her high spirits make her the apple of her father’s eye, but also bring her into constant clashes with her mother, whose sole aim is to cultivate some courtly bearing in the fiery young lass.

With her cherished bow and wild corkscrews of flaming red hair, Merida is not one to be kept down. She is happiest outside the castle walls, exploring the the world atop her trusty horse and “firing arrows into the sunset” (as her father puts it). She is a crack shot and has the makings of a skilled huntress – a blissful Katniss Everdeen, raised in barbarous plenty rather than dystopian famine. Her old dad, a bear hunter of some repute, could scarcely be more proud. However, as she approaches womanhood, the responsibilities of the crown begin to encroach upon her fun.

The kingdom of Scotland, mercifully free of English conquerors at this point, rests on a fragile alliance of warlords. Queen Elinor’s well-meaning efforts are intended to make Merida into a comely bride for one of the neighboring princes, and hence a safeguard of future peace. At the appointed time, the lords of the nearby provinces (Kevin McKidd, Robbie Coltrane, Craig Ferguson) come calling with their eligible sons in tow. Not surprisingly, each of the royal prospects is some variety of un-dashing doofus. Despite her mother’s entreaties to behave, Merida finds it all too ordered and restrictive. Following a blithe refusal of all her suitors, she sets out to reshape her own destiny. Given her bold streak and excellent command of folklore, it is no surprise that she knows exactly how to pursue such a thing. She simply follows the will-o’-the-wisps! Deep in the woods, there dwells an old witch (Julie Walters) with the power to change a person’s fate. Meanwhile, there is more than just a mother’s disappointment lurking at Merida’s heels. A hulking, malevolent bear called Mor’du stalks the woods, feared by all with good reason.

Even with its healthy store of tongue-in-cheek pratfalls, Brave is as traditional a fairy tale as Disney has told in twenty years or so. As such, the narrative follows a classic and fairly predictable pattern, but the small surprises are nicely original and well executed. Through a series of mishaps and misadventures, Merida and her mother come to understand one another in many crucial ways, and the healing of their rift is what ends up driving the story home.

This movie marks a new level of visual presentation from Pixar. Finding Nemo was great, but Brave is nothing short of outstanding. Too often, long-form computer animation nails either the large-scale atmosphere or the tiny details, while somewhat neglecting the other. In this case, everything is flawless from the waterfalls to the texture of the kilts. Somewhere in the middle, Merida’s unruly tresses are an impressive example of how far the technology has come.

In addition, Patrick Doyle has given Brave a stellar soundtrack. Strange as it may be to watch a Pixar film without a single song by a member of the Newman family, you are not likely to feel cheated. Sticking fast to traditional Scottish themes and styles, this score is every bit as rousing and dynamic as James Horner’s music for Braveheart , of which this movie has more than a few fond echoes. There is actually far more Scots Gaelic and Highland bagpipe music in Brave than in Mel Gibson’s film, which beguiled audiences with the more popular – but decidedly Irish – uilleann pipes.

The character work in Brave is excellent all around. Billy Connolly was made for voice acting, at least in the very particular niche of blustery Scotsmen. Fans of his manic, profane comedy can at last share him with their very young kids – the ones too young to remember Muppet Treasure Island . Emma Thompson and Julie Walters are spot-on in any context, and the three boastful lairds played by McKidd, Coltrane, and Ferguson embody everything chaotic and hilarious about good-natured Scottish stereotyping. Kelly Macdonald holds the story down with plenty of heart and defiant good humor. It must be a thematic vindication for her to play a character so imbued with the power to control her own fate. Recall, if you will, the grim conclusion of No Country For Old Men , in which her character learned an entirely different lesson.

The non-speaking comic relief falls to Merida’s brothers, a trio of tiny ginger mop-tops named something like Hamish, Haggis, and Huey. They exist only to raise hell, steal biscuits, and trigger slapstick. Meanwhile, the main antagonist also does much without having to say anything. Mor’du the bear, a figure of mythical menace and a sort of Moby Dick to King Fergus, is downright frightening. The action and danger may test the very smallest of kiddos, but no more than, say, the dragon in Sleeping Beauty . It is still far less disturbing than that sadistic, malformed kid in Toy Story . Every bit of it is good for the minds of growing children.

Having committed strongly to an atmosphere of Celtic legend, the Disney/Pixar machine has taken time out to craft something uncommonly rich, less reliant on gloss and flash. It works beautifully, and the results are there for the whole family to enjoy. Brave is a good mainstream counterpart to another recent film, a visually inventive, but narratively lacking, Irish production called The Secret Of Kells . The enduring popularity of Celtic myths and music will always make this kind of story a safe bet for success, but some must inevitably turn out better than the rest. Brave sits comfortably near the top of the heap, not simply of rollicking Scottish fairy tales, but of what Disney has offered up in recent years.

Brave Trailer

Dan Fields is a graduate of Northwestern University with a degree in Film. He has written for the California Literary Review since 2010.

He is also co-founder and animator for Fields Point Pictures, and the frontman of Houston-based folk band Polecat Rodeo.

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Dan Fields is a graduate of Northwestern University with a degree in Film. He has written for the California Literary Review since 2010. He is also co-founder and animator for Fields Point Pictures, and the frontman of Houston-based folk band Polecat Rodeo. Google+ , Twitter

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FILM REVIEW: Pixar's 13th feature starts off big but diminishes into a rather wee thing.

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Merida, wonderfully voiced by Kelly Macdonald, is pop culture's latest precocious archer.

The season’s latest feature destined to boost the demand for kids’ archery lessons, Brave might disappoint many ardent Pixar loyalists while simultaneously delighting old-time Disney fans.

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Brave - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

Pixar's Brave defies the odds and Disney traditions with beauty and elegance that's as wild and free-spirited as the story's central heroine. The Ultra HD arrives with an excellent 4K HDR10 presentation, a fantastic Dolby Atmos track, and the same supplements as the Blu-ray. Recommended.

The impetuous, tangle-haired Merida, though a daughter of royalty, would prefer to make her mark as a great archer. A clash of wills with her mother compels Merida to make a reckless choice, which unleashes unintended peril on her father’s kingdom and her mother’s life. Merida struggles with the unpredictable forces of nature, magic and a dark, ancient curse to set things right.

Storyline: Our Reviewer's Take

One of the best aspects of Pixar's Brave is the studio beating Disney at their own game. Walt Disney Studios is arguably most famous for adapting classic folk tales that often featured princesses, witches, magic and various other tropes. And when Brave hit cinemas, Disney Animation was at the height of their "Revival" under the leadership of John Lassetter, a return to the company's conventional storytelling roots but with a twist. A wholly original tale by Brenda Chapman ( The Prince of Egypt , The Lion King ), who also served as co-director, this CG-animated fantasy film, on the other hand, embraced well-known fairy tale conceits, improved upon them and even turned them on their heads.

Before Princess Jasmine challenged cultural norms in the live-action version of Aladdin , Princess Merida (Kelly Macdonald) defied outdated customs of medieval Scotland, traditions fiercely enforced by her mother (Emma Thompson) with bear-like assertiveness. She even goes so far as to compete in games for her own hand in marriage, demonstrating her skills as a warrior and her intelligence. However, Chapman's plot complicates matters when The Witch (Julie Walters) shows up with a magical cake and essentially suggests Merida's strength can be just as much a virtue and asset as it can be a fault and shortcoming, feeding into an impulsively stubborn pride.

The end of the second act and into the third is a bit murky with the whole Mor'du subplot feeling somewhat forced and over-staying its welcome. However, it all eventually comes together to a well-earned, tear-jerking and genuinely heartfelt conclusion. Brave is one of Pixar's better films, splendidly imaginative, both in the visuals and in the story, and all-around fun.

For a more in-depth take on the film, check out David Krauss's review of the 2012 Blu-ray HERE .

Vital Disc Stats: The Ultra HD Blu-ray

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment brings Brave to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray as a three-disc combo pack with a flyer for a Disney Digital Copy. When redeeming said code via RedeemDigitalMovie.com or MoviesAnywhere, users have access to the 4K digital version in Dolby Vision HDR with Dolby Atmos audio. The dual-layered UHD66 disc sits comfortably opposite a Region Free, BD50 disc, which is identical to the 2012 Blu-ray, atop another BD25 disc containing all the bonus material. All three are housed inside a black, eco-vortex case with a glossy, lightly-embossed slipcover. At startup, viewers are taken to a static screen where owners can choose between the start of the movie or look through the menu.

Video Review

Merida takes aim at Ultra HD and hits her mark thanks to a great-looking HEVC H.265 encode that delivers a worthy upgrade over its Blu-ray competitor. Granted, the differences between this 2160p picture, upscaled from a 2K digital intermediate, and its 1080p HD brethren are relatively small, but this transfer comes with a welcomed uptick that fans will appreciate. The fine lines and stitching in the ornate clothing and hair are slightly sharper, and the leaves, blades of grass and moss growing on the surrounding foliage are a bit more defined. The wood and stone architecture of the castle looks aged and weathered, and the wrinkles and blemishes of the witch's face are plainly visible. Some of the extreme wide shots are on the softer side and even poorly-resolved in some instances, but overall, the animation is sharp.

Likewise, the 4K video doesn't seem to gain significantly from the higher dynamic range, but contrast and brightness balance nonetheless enjoy a small boost with black levels showing the best improvement. The hair of some characters and the fur of bears are inky with an impressive velvety gloss. Shadows are also richer without sacrificing the finer details within the darkest corners, providing the 2.39:1 image with a lovely cinematic appeal and excellent dimensionality. The whites of fluffy clouds, hairs of older characters and some articles of clothing are cleaner with better brilliance at its brightest. Specular highlights may not show a dramatic push, but the hottest spots display a tighter, crisper glow in the will-o'-the-wisp, torches, flashes of lightning and the gleam of sunshine off faces and metallic surfaces.

The original Blu-ray of Brave came with a stunning parade of colors, and this HDR10 presentation nicely improves upon its HD SDR counterpart with deeper shades of reds in some spots and dramatically brilliant blues in the clothing, tapestries, and will-o'-the-wisps. It may not compare to some of the best CG-animated films we've seen on UHD, but the overall palette benefits with greens enjoying the biggest boost, ranging from lively deep moss of the forest and the shamrock pop in the grass to the fern sage of the witch's hut and the ocean teal of Merida's dress. Of course, the cinematography's most eye-catching aspect is the sumptuous, varied array of tiger orange in Merida's hair, the warm amber hues from the torches' glow and the vibrant marigold yellows of the fires. All in all, it's a welcomed step-up. (HDR10 Video Rating: 78/100)

Audio Review

The fantasy adventure flick is betrothed to an outstanding, near-reference Dolby Atmos soundtrack that is every bit the match of its DTS-HD counterpart and even challenges it some spots. This is especially true in sequences outside wandering through the forest where the noise of wildlife and the rustling of leaves employ the surrounds and subtly expand into the ceiling speakers, creating a beautifully engaging and enveloping soundscape. At other times, arrows flawlessly pan overhead, and raindrops convincingly fall and distinctly land above the listening area while inside the castle, voices, screams, slamming doors and clanking swords reverberate from all around. The score also joins the fun bleeding into all the speakers, and combined with the many well-placed atmospherics, this object-based mix often generates an immersive hemispheric soundfield.

Speaking of which, Patrick Doyle's score benefits most from the extra breathing room, spreading evenly across the entire soundstage with superb fidelity and acoustical details. Imaging feels expansive and broad, continuously layered with a variety of background activity that fluidly moves between the channels and into to the top heights, exhibiting excellent distinction and definition in the mid-range amid the loudest moments. Vocals are always prioritized and intelligible, even as characters move throughout the castle. To top it off, a palpable and robust low-end provides a weighty depth to the roars, a couch-shaking presence to the bears and an accurate, responsive punch to the arrows, making this Atmos track is a fantastic win over its lossless predecessor. (Dolby Atmos Audio Rating: 94/100)

Special Features

For this Ultra HD edition, Disney/Pixar port over the same collection of bonus features as the previous release, all of which are spread between a pair of accompanying Blu-ray discs.

Blu-ray Disc One

Audio Commentary
Pixar Short Films (HD, 14 min): "La Luna" and "The Legend of Mor'du"
Brave Old World (HD, 13 min)
Extended Scenes (HD, 13 min)
Merida & Elinor (HD, 8 min)
Once Upon a Scene (HD, 8 min)
Magic (HD, 7 min)
Bears (HD, 6 min)
Brawl in the Hall (HD, 5 min)
Clan Pixar (HD, 5 min)
Wonder Moss (HD, 3 min)
Trailers (HD)

Blu-ray Disc Two

Dirty Hairy People (HD, 4 min)
It Is English . . . Sort of (HD, 4 min)
The Tapestry (HD, 4 min)
Alternate Opening (HD, 3 min)
Angus (HD, 3 min)
Fallen Warriors (HD, 2 min)
Promotional Material (HD, 15 min)
Still Gallery (HD)

Final Thoughts

Pixar struck gold once again in Brave , the studio's thirteenth CG-animated feature that follows a young woman's journey to forge her own path in defiance of cultural norms and traditions. The impressive beauty and excellence of the film is a wholly original fairy tale plot that essentially beat Disney at their own game, borrowing familiar tropes and surpassing them. Our fiery heroine takes aim at Ultra HD and hits her mark with an excellent 4K HDR10 presentation and fantastic, demo-worthy Dolby Atmos soundtrack, providing a notable upgrade fans will love. Porting over the same supplements as its Blu-ray predecessor, this UHD edition of the wonderfully imaginative and heart-warming film makes a recommended addition to the library.

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Though he’s been quite the presence in fantastical, supporting roles in the likes of “Game of Thrones” and “ Justice League ,” Jason Momoa ’s day as an action lead has yet to come. Enter Lin Oeding ’s “Braven,” a movie as dumb and bloody as a slab of meat, but with Momoa playing an emotionally vulnerable logger who you also believe would throw an ax at someone's face.

Wearing modern clothes and leading an action vehicle for one of the first times ever, Momoa positions himself as a snowball-tossing, Porter-drinking, tree-chopping family man, with specifically no mentioned history of him ever killing before. But before he finds himself squaring off against drug dealers in his small family cabin out in the woods, we get a sense of his loving relationship with wife Stephanie ( Jill Wagner ) and their daughter Charlotte ( Sasha Rossof ). In the script’s most unexpected edge to this type of story, Joe has an emotional vulnerability for his father Linden ( Stephen Lang ), whose mental health is deteriorating. After Linden is in a scuffle at a bar when confusing a random woman for his late wife, Joe decides to take him up to the family cabin for a tough chat about getting medical care, with Charlotte sneaking aboard the truck.

But woe, as we see during drawn out sequences of cheesy goonery in between hints of Joe’s quiet life, the cabin has become a drug stash locale by one of Joe’s worker friends ( Brendan Fletcher ) and an accomplice ( Zahn McClarnon ), after they crashed a logging truck that was carrying a log with a whole lot o’ drugs inside. This propels lead baddie Kassen ( Garret Dillahunt , whose riff on malevolence is to smoke cigarettes inside a diner and generally seem weary of this shit) and his men to to the cabin to get the drugs themselves. The stakes are obvious from the beginning to Joe that his family will not survive after giving the drugs back, so the second half of “Braven” turns into a bloated fight scene with more dead bodies than pings of simple amusement you might feel owed from the premise alone.

With such a simple concept, and with its big showdown happening only over the course of a couple hours or so, there’s a disappointing lack of tightness to the big picture. Instead of sharpening its basic elements like character and location, "Braven" piles on more stuff; the script even works overtime to set things up at the cabin and with the dumb truckers, as if we’re to be emotionally invested in their oopsie-daisy, until it starts to directly affect the Bravens. Later on, the script adds crossbow-toting Stephanie and some cops, creating more opportunities for people to battle but less chance of immediacy. As “Braven” becomes more than just than an impromptu OK Corral showdown, there are still too many moving pieces to worry about any one of them in particular.

Oeding, himself formerly a stunt coordinator, makes a case that he could be a strong fight scene director in due time, but his directorial comprehension lacks a sense of space and the people within it. While Momoa's character is more compelling than just watching a modern, housebroken Khal Drogo, the forces of evil he's up against (gun-toting henchmen with beards) aren’t so much forgettable as inconsequential. And the free-for-all setting of the snowy woods, for all of its opportunities of visibility and camouflage, is wasted by not establishing a concrete sense of the property's geography (even though the opening credits are dedicated to setting Newfoundland's amazing views).

But you’re probably reading this review wondering most of all if the action delivers, or if it fulfills in the crude art of “cool kills.” That is one facet where the movie does have some inspiration, where its nimble brawn sometimes comically zigs when you think it’s going to zag—a character is stabbed despite the promise of being shot, or a fight scene ends with men being thrown off a cliff, in two cases. Even a bear trap is used in a way that might make you think, after laughing, “well, that's unusual.” “Braven” is an automatic type of action movie, often only challenging its predictability by getting goofier and goofier.

Nick Allen is the former Senior Editor at RogerEbert.com and a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

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Film credits.

Braven (2018)

Rated R for violence and for language throughout including some sexual references.

Jason Momoa as Joe Braven

Stephen Lang as Linden

Zahn McClarnon as Hallett

Jill Wagner as Stephanie

Brendan Fletcher as Weston

Sasha Rossof as Charlotte

Garret Dillahunt as Kassen

Thomas Pa'a Sibbett
Michael Nilon

Cinematographer

Brian Andrew Mendoza

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Disney lets Deadpool drop f-bombs, debuts new 'Captain America' first look at CinemaCon

LAS VEGAS – Deadpool? And Wolverine? In Vegas? That's what you call a jackpot.

Marvel's two extremely stabby superheroes – Ryan Reynolds ' masked Merc with a Mouth and Hugh Jackman 's iconic X-Man – made quite the splash at Disney's presentation at CinemaCon Thursday. Director Shawn Levy debuted new footage from "Deadpool & Wolverine" (in theaters July 26), Pixar showcased the first 35 minutes of its upcoming sequel "Inside Out 2" (June 14), Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson made an appearance to debut a sneak peek at the new animated sequel "Moana 2" (Nov. 27) and director Barry Jenkins gave theater owners a taste of what's coming in the live-action prequel "Mufasa: The Lion King" (Dec. 20).

Plus, there were so many f-bombs that Mickey Mouse is probably going to get Deadpool a swear jar.

Here's all the news and highlights from the Disney panel:

Dwayne Johnson says 'Moana 2' is 'deeper than a movie for me'

Dwayne Johnson arrives with island drummers and dancers – and does a few moves himself – to say "Aloha!" and preview the new animated sequel "Moana 2" (Nov. 27). He says the character Maui is inspired by his grandfather, "High Chief" Peter Maivia. "It's so much deeper than a movie for me," says Johnson, who's presented with a Spirit of the Industry Award from the National Association of Theatre Owners. He also introduces a sneak peek, including a new song, "We're Back," sung by Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) as she returns home from a seafaring trip.

Barry Jenkins previews 'Lion King' prequel 'Mufasa'

Director Barry Jenkins says taking on the prequel "Mufasa: The Lion King" (Dec. 20) is "one of the best decisions of my life." The "Moonlight" director adds that it's "a very personal film for me": He watched the original animated "Lion King" "maybe 200 times" with his nephews. The prequel "explores Mufasa's rise to become the king that he is" and helps kids understand "how people who are great become the way that they are."

Marvel debuts nine amazing minutes of 'Deadpool & Wolverine'

The first "Deadpool" footage doesn't disappoint: Director Shawn Levy shows nine super-fun, foul-mouthed minutes, where Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool has literally hung up the tights and is now selling cars. But when he's captured by the Time Variance Authority, a mystery man named Mr. Paradox (Matthew McFadyen) gives him a chance to jump from his timeline to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. "Suck it, Fox! I'm going to Disneyland," Deadpool proclaims.

Deadpool popcorn bucket is coming, new 'Captain America' gets a trailer

Yes, you read that right: Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige says Deadpool is "designing" his own popcorn bucket a la that "Dune Part Two" travesty. In other news, "Thunderbolts*" (out May 5) now has an asterisk in its title (apparently that will make sense later) and "Captain America: Brave New World" (Feb. 14, 2025) will be a political thriller. "It's been amazing," Anthony Mackie says of taking on Cap's shield. He introduces a sneak peek where Sam Wilson (Mackie) meets President "Thunderbolt" Ross (Harrison Ford) in the Oval Office, and POTUS wants him to rebuild the Avengers.

'Inside Out 2' debuts some new emotions as Joy meets Anxiety

After a first trailer for "The Young Woman and the Sea," a period biopic with "Nyad" vibes, Amy Poehler arrives to introduce the first 35 minutes of "Inside Out 2." The now-teenage Riley navigates changing friendships and fitting in at hockey camp, and Joy (Poehler) and the old emotions are challenged by Anxiety (Maya Hawke) and a new crew.

'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' premieres new footage

Next up: 17 minutes from "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" (May 10), which is set several generations in the future as apes rule the world instead of humans. Two scenes show the atmosphere and breathtaking effects as young ape Noa seeks hawk's eggs with his friends and picks up the pieces after a tragic attack.

Wolverine and Deadpool kick off the show!

Our two fun-loving antiheroes begin the presentation with a video of Hugh Jackman's Wolverine launching into a curse-laden rant at folks to turn their phones off. "So much testosterone," Deadpool quips. That's followed by a sizzle reel of past and future movies, including a look at Gal Gadot's Evil Queen in upcoming live-action "Snow White" – so evil! – and Harrison Ford's President "Thunderbolt" Ross in Marvel's "Captain America: Brave New World."

What have been the highlights at this year's CinemaCon?

Disney is the last studio to roll out a presentation this week, but the rest brought out a lot of good stuff. A few noteworthy items:

Paul Mescal starred in the epic first footage from Ridley Scott's sequel " Gladiator II ."
John Wick is back! Keanu Reeves makes an appearance in the new spinoff "Ballerina."
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo talked about their roles in the upcoming "Wicked" musical .
"Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" spooked with a sneak peek featuring returning star Michael Keaton.

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COMMENTS

What are your thoughts on "Brave"? : r/movies
Ratatouille followed a similar arc, but they brought on Brad Bird who oozes genius out of his ears. While Ratatouille felt like a single, cohesive story with a focused arc, Brave felt like a movie that switched directors halfway through. The whole tone switches about 30 minutes in. With all the build up of Meridah riding and shooting ...
Brave (2012) is actually a pretty good movie : r/movies
But people anticipated more from Pixar, like people anticipate more from a Nolan new film or James Cameron new film. Since Brave, Pixar is making more and more forgettable original, like The good dinosaur, Onward, Luca. The general public's expectation for Pixar is no longer as high as a decade ago. With Disney picking up their 3D animation ...
Why Brave Wasn't That Great (SPOILERS) : r/TrueFilm
The story of Brave is about a mother and daughter leaning how to communicate. The daughter learning where her mother is coming from and the mother learning to bridge the generation gap and see that just because her daughter wants something different doesn't mean that what her daughter wants is bad. Brave wasn't as beautiful and stirring for me ...
Brave movie review & film summary (2012)
"Brave" is the latest animated film from Pixar, and therefore becomes the film the parents of the world will be dragged to by their kids. The good news is that the kids will probably love it, and the bad news is that parents will be disappointed if they're hoping for another Pixar groundbreaker. Unlike such brightly original films as "Toy Story," "Finding Nemo," "WALL-E" and "Up," this one ...
'Brave' Review
Brave (originally titled The Bear and the Bow) follows reckless tomboy Princess Merida (Kelly Macdonald) whose mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), has been diligently preparing her for a life of royal responsibilities.Unlike more traditional Princesses, Merida takes after her warrior father, King Fergus (Billy Connolly), and would much rather be riding through the forest on horseback firing ...
Brave
Movie & TV guides. Merida (Kelly Macdonald), the impetuous but courageous daughter of Scottish King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), is a skilled archer who wants to carve ...
Brave
A powerful and relevant story wrapped up in gorgeous animation and one of the best soundtracks of the year. Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Aug 19, 2022. At ten, "Brave" is less flashy ...
'Brave': What the Critics are Saying
Read below for some of the reviews from the top critics: The Hollywood Reporter 's Todd McCarthy says " Brave might disappoint many ardent Pixar loyalists while simultaneously delighting old ...
Review: Pixar's 'Brave' Is A Powerful But Wobbly ...
The lord of three kingdoms show up to woo her (led by Craig Ferguson, Robbie Coltrane and Kevin McKidd, of course), each more pathetic than the last.Merida can barely keep from rolling her eyes ...
Brave
Brave, the new film from Pixar directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman, does lack some of the spark present in the studio's greater projects, but the movie is still fun, engaging, and emotio
Brave: Film Review
Brave: Film Review. Pixar's 13th film, which follows an adventurous Scottish princess, is visually stunning and strongly voiced, but doesn't take any real risks. The season's latest feature ...
One year with Brave
Brave Browser truly stands out in the crowded browser market, offering an unparalleled browsing experience. Its commitment to user privacy and security is commendable, with default ad and tracker blocking ensuring a confidential online journey. I recently came across this fantastic review of Brave Browser.
Pixar's Brave Movie Review: The Princess and Her Unbearable Mom
Replacing the person in charge is a Pixar tradition (it happened on Toy Story 2, Ratatouille, WALL•E and Cars 2), but the creative tension between two directors, a man and a woman, is evident from the tug of tones in Brave's telling: part hearty, part heartfelt.The movie spends its first half in brawny highlands humor — fighting, carousing, spit takes, guy stuff — and a lot of Scots ...
'Brave' Movie Review
Brave (2012) movie review, the new film from Pixar and the worst to come out of the studio yet. Skip to content ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More
Brave
Brave is a quite good tale deftly told, filled with moments of insight, beauty and humor. And of course the animation is amazing. But in terms of content, it cowers ever so slightly. Bear rears and bare rears wriggle across the screen. Lords moon one another. Magic coats the Scottish highlands like so much dark frosting. Brave also can be scary ...
Brave Movie Review
Brave is a very entertaining movie with a good message and plenty of life lessons. It is funny enough to keep older viewers amused, and cute enough so that kids will love it. However, much of the plot revolves around a 'scary' and evil bear, as well as a witch. Younger kids may very well find it disturbing.
Movie Review: Brave
In addition, the movie has a central theme that is fairly novel even in the long history of Disney - a strong mother-daughter relationship, in which the mother is neither a tragic memory or of the "evil step-" persuasion. Kelly Macdonald leads the cast of Brave as Merida, a headstrong princess of the Scottish Highlands. She is the ...
Brave Movie Review : r/movies
The goal of /r/Movies is to provide an inclusive place for discussions and news about films with major releases. Submissions should be for the purpose of informing or initiating a discussion, not just to entertain readers.
Brave
After a beautiful and eventful prologue in which flaming-maned Scottish princess Merida (Kelly Macdonald) receives an archery bow for her birthday, glimpses blue will-o'-the-wisps floating ...
4k Movie, Streaming, Blu-Ray Disc, and Home Theater Product Reviews
Brave is one of Pixar's better films, splendidly imaginative, both in the visuals and in the story, and all-around fun. For a more in-depth take on the film, check out David Krauss's review of the 2012 Blu-ray HERE. Vital Disc Stats: The Ultra HD Blu-ray. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment brings Brave to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray as a three-disc ...
Best Brave (movie) Posts
Merida (From Pixar's Brave) 410 22. r/MovieDetails. • 4 yr. ago. Join. For Brave (2011), actor Kevin Mckidd opted to speak in Doric (a native Scottish dialect). Pixar had wanted him to speak in comedic gibberish, but were "blown away" when he suggested a native dialect. He only spoke 3 lines of Doric in the movie.
Braven movie review & film summary (2018)
Enter Lin Oeding 's "Braven," a movie as dumb and bloody as a slab of meat, but with Momoa playing an emotionally vulnerable logger who you also believe would throw an ax at someone's face. Wearing modern clothes and leading an action vehicle for one of the first times ever, Momoa positions himself as a snowball-tossing, Porter-drinking ...
Disney's biggest Marvel, Pixar highlights at CinemaCon
Disney closed out this year's CinemaCon and debuted new footage from "Deadpool & Wolverine," "Captain America: Brave New World" and "Inside Out 2."
Witch from Brave...look familiar? : r/movies
Mine is the buffet scene from Jurassic Park. 590. 814. r/movies. Join. • 21 days ago.

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