Brave
Directed by: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman, Steve Purcell
Written by: Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell, Brenda Chapman and Irene Mecchi
Starring: Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters, Robbie Coltrane, Kevin McKidd, Craig Ferguson

After Pixar’s near-perfect track record was sullied last year by the sub-par sequel that was Cars 2, animation fans were hoping they would bounce back with another strong original title. In a way, it seemed like Cars 2 would potentially take some pressure off of them, allowing them to put aside critical and commercial concerns and simply concentrate on doing what they do best. The next movie, too, was something different for Pixar: set in medieval Scotland, it featured a female lead and a more traditional Disney-esque fairy tale structure.

However, there were also some concerns that arose when writer/director Brenda Chapman (The Prince of Egypt) was replaced by Mark Andrews midway through production. Pixar had decided to embrace a female perspective, but would a man be able to tell the same story adequately and appropriately? In the end, Andrews seems to have done the material justice — unfortunately, that material also happens to be a lot more straightforward and predictable than we’ve come to expect from Pixar. Brave is a well-made animated film, but ultimately a minor entry that will quickly be forgotten.

The story centers on a young Scottish princess named Merida (voiced by Boardwalk Empire‘s Kelly Macdonald), a fiery redhead with a knack for archery. One day her mother and father inform her that she is to be wed to a prince from another kingdom and she is presented with a choice between three young suitors. Not wanting to marry any of them, she rides off into a nearby forest and happens upon a witch, who grants her a wish. However, when the results of that wish go awry, she must find a way to rectify the situation before the magic spell becomes permanent.

Merida herself is a strong character and her struggle with expectations and responsibility is one that kids will to relate to. The supporting cast, however, is not quite as compelling. Merida’s father Fergus (voiced by Billy Connolly) and mother Elinor (Emma Thompson) are pretty generic, with Fergus mainly serving as comic relief along with her three younger brothers, mischievous twins who exist solely to satisfy the cuteness quota. We never really get to know any of the other clan members that well, and it doesn’t help that pretty much everyone speaks with a thick Scottish brogue. Between Brave, How to Train Your Dragon, and the Shrek movies, I think I’ve heard enough Scottish accents in CG animated films to last me a lifetime.

Brave really does feel like it is intended for a younger audience, both thematically and comedically. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s disappointing that it is missing the layers that usually set Pixar apart from its competition. There certainly aren’t many jokes aimed at grown ups, and I might even go so far as to say it is the least funny Pixar movie to date (although the youngsters at my screening might beg to differ). That’s not to say it is completely lacking charm and that’s not to say that the jokes are bad. I just think this is the first Pixar movie that I probably wouldn’t file under “Comedy”.

My biggest problem with this film, however, (and I don’t think I’m alone in feeling this way) is the primary plot complication, which is not only unexpected but also a lot goofier than I expected it to be. Since it might be considered a spoiler, I won’t go into details, but it creates some very cartoony situations and causes the movie to flounder a bit when it tries to extract emotion out of them. There is also a bit too much reliance on vague magic in the movie, particularly with regards to the resolution, and generally speaking, I just felt that it was missing a much needed sense of adventure.

There is still a lot to appreciate about this movie on a technical level. The action sequences are mostly thrilling and well-executed, particularly some of the slow-mo archery scenes, and the Scottish landscapes are beautiful. The animation is top notch, and even Merida’s bouncy red locks are a high-tech marvel all on their own. I just wish there was a little bit more to be excited about from a story or character standpoint.

Overall, Brave is not a bad movie, but it does seem to be missing some of that Pixar magic. The mother / daughter relationship is believable and endearing, but it fails to reach the same emotional highs as movies like Finding Nemo or Toy Story 3. There is value in creating a strong female lead who doesn’t need to prove herself as a man’s equal, but somehow she still feels like a pretty typical Disney princess. Make no mistake, this is definitely an improvement on Cars 2, but Brave’s arrow falls short of hitting the bullseye. — Sean

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