REVIEW: ‘Brave’ doesn’t quite hit the target
Pixar is renowned for making creative and endearing films that often involve quirky characters and outlandish situations. They single-handedly made us believe toys come to life when no people are around, ants are secretly at war with grasshoppers and monsters actually do live in closets ready to scare children at any given time. The technology behind their efforts has changed over the years, but the heart and whimsy of these films has remained strongly intact.
“Brave” is a bit of an outlier in the Pixar canon. Though the new technology powering the animation is undeniably spectacular, the uniqueness and charm we have come to expect from the geniuses behind “The Incredibles” and “Up” is less pronounced this time around.
Make no mistake. “Brave” is solid, but it feels decidedly more like a generic animated film competing with Pixar rather than an actual Pixar film. The characters aren’t particularly memorable, the comedy occasionally feels pedestrian and it gets off to a fairly slow start.
Off in the Scottish Highlands, Merida, voiced by Kelly Macdonald, receives a bow for her birthday from her benevolent and jovial father Fergus, voiced by Billy Connolly, much to the chagrin of her highly proper and strict mother Queen Elinor, voiced by Emma Thompson. Barely able to get off a decent shot, Merida goes to retrieve her arrow in the forest and encounters a Will-o’-the-Wisp. Though tempted to follow it, a large, snarling bear attacks the camp and she must flee with Elinor while the armed men fend it off.
Many years pass by and Merida, now a rambunctious and free-spirited teenager, spends as much time as possible sharpening her incredible archery skills instead of heeding Elinor’s teachings about being a princess. Merida is to be betrothed to an heir of one of the clans to unite the kingdom, but feeling trapped and ignored, she runs off in search of her own fate.
After following a Will-o’-the-Wisp to her supposed destiny, Merida encounters a witch who claims she can change Merida’s fate. She gladly accepts, and she receives a spell to use on her mother. Something goes terribly wrong, and now Merida must work to undo the unintended effect of the spell and stand up to the revived threat of the beast that took her father’s leg.
As much as I hate to say it, I think Pixar is slowly beginning to lose their signature touch. They have typically been so good at crafting stories that appeal to children and adults over the years that their film canon almost feels like a subgenre in of itself. Unfortunately, “Brave” more closely resembles one of the many and sometimes forgettable computer-animated romps that we expect from Warner Bros. or Fox.
Case in point, these characters are likable enough, but they do little to convince me they are as much fun or endearing as an old man who travels in a flying house or a frustrated superhero living a civilian life. King Fergus can make me laugh alright, but he just can’t leave a lasting impression on me that other Pixar creations in the past have. It’s almost as if Pixar opted to go into autopilot mode for this outing rather putting as much effort as possible even into the little details we have grown accustomed to, and the triplets were nothing more than a glorified throwaway gag.
To be fair, Merida and Elinor fare a bit better. While often butting heads, it’s abundantly clear that the relationship between these two is strong but strained. It makes for some decent drama and even produces a handful of big laughs later on. Merida becomes more understanding of the warnings her mother has given her
in the past, and Elinor in turn becomes more sympathetic to the struggles and desires of her daughter and how tradition isn’t always necessarily best. This is definitely the strong point of the film.
The didactic overtones resonate fairly well. Much fighting takes place amongst the rival clans when Merida disappears and it seems the kingdom will fall into disarray. “Brave” essentially says that legends, though not real, are actually lessons to be heeded in our daily lives. These concepts are illustrated nicely and they add some needed substance to the film.
If not for the relationship between Elinor and Merida and the important moral lessons taught, “Brave” would accomplish little in distinguishing itself as a good Pixar flick. Some of the jokes fall flat, especially those involving Merida’s mischievous little brothers. It takes some time to actually get rolling, but it comes to redeem itself in the end.
Though it’s not as eminently re-watchable as their other films, “Brave” does just enough right that it’s worth taking in at least once, and the short film “La Luna” that accompanies the film is a gem in its own right.
– Sam McConkie is a senior in the technical and professional writing program at USU. He is a keen writer and has been a dedicated gamer for years. Sam can be reached at sambonemcconkie@gmail.com