Brave

Rating: 4.5/5

With a unique story and wonderful soundtrack, Brave is perhaps one of the more visually stunning films put out by Pixar.

Merida (Kelly Macdonald), is a princess in a kingdom in Scotland. Her mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson) expects her daughter to be a perfect lady, but all Merida wants to do is be free, ride her horse, shoot her arrows, and be in command of her own fate. Merida has been able to deal with her princess lessons, knowing that when they were over she would be able to spend time practicing her archery and enjoying her life. That all changes when Merida has discovered that her mother has invited the lords from the neighboring clans in order for their first born to fight for Merida's hand in marriage. Feeling incredibly unprepared to be married, Merida desperately searches for a way to change her mother's mind, and her own fate.

Brave may not be the most popular of the films made by Pixar, but that doesn't impact my own opinion of it. Personally, I really love this film. The plot doesn't feel as compacted as other animated films, and is quieter and less flashy. I really appreciate Pixar's ability to tell a great story, without putting too much movement and action on the screen. Many of the criticisms I see for Brave are around the idea that it doesn't fully seem like a Pixar movie, and something more along the lines of just a basic Disney princess film. In all honesty, that critique isn't necessarily untrue, but I don't exactly see that as a reason to dislike the film. I for one, am quite partial to the princess movies put out by Disney, so my opinion, though biased as it may be, is that Brave is really a wonderful story filled with adventure and an impressive heroine leading the plot.

Another element to Brave that I love is the authenticity of the voices provided by the actors in the film. The majority of the main characters are from Scotland, so their genuine accents add a wonderful level of realism to the film. The only large speaking role that isn't provided by an actor from Scotland is Emma Thompson as Elinor. Even so, her accent is impeccable, and almost impossible to distinguish as being any different from the rest. To me, it seemed that Pixar felt it more important to trust in the legitimacy of their story, rather than the star power of big named actors, and it really helped sell the concept of the movie.

Looking at the other movies put out by Pixar, they all involve some sort of otherworldly element that makes the story rooted outside reality. That being said, I feel that Brave is one of the few where I can really visualize it as a live action film. Yes, there is a strong plot point involving magic, but the legends within the story, the voice acting, and the seriousness of some of the scenes, makes Brave, in my opinion, one of the more compelling and emotional Pixar movies.

Brave is the odd man out when it comes to Disney/Pixar films. Merida doesn't sing, so that sets her apart from the other Disney princesses, and the general color scheme and story are quite dark, which brings it away from the typical brightness found in a Pixar movie. Perhaps I like Brave so much, because of its' rebellious qualities, or maybe it's just because it is such an enchanting film.

2013 Best Animated Feature Winner- Brave