Disney/Pixar’s Brave

After a little last minute family turmoil, we got to see Brave last night.  This is one of those long anticipated movie events for my family.  I first learned of Brave when it was announced that Pixar would be doing their first real fairytale and princess story, the Scottish legend of, “The Bear and The Bow” and have been following its production all the way to last night.  I am going to try to write this review without spoilers, as I don’t like it when others do that to me.

Brave, as “The Bear and The Bow” came to be known, is set in the 10^th century Scottish highlands, and is a coming of age story of a young Princess being groomed to become the Queen and leader of her kingdom.  Merida (I love this name) has grown into a strong young woman happier with breaking rather than embracing tradition.  As she continues to rebel against the expectations of her Mother - the Queen, of course, trouble ensues and is ultimately resolved.  That is all of this story you going to get here, because that is pretty much what you’ve gotten from the trailers.

If you are expecting the anything like what you’ve seen from Pixar before, more what might be considered the traditional Disney Princess story…  Leave those expectations at the door, or you may be disappointed.  But…  the history of great storytelling we’ve come to expect from Pixar is there is abundance, and the artistry and attention to animation detail for which Pixar is well known, is ever present.  Things like the individual random movement of blades of grass as a gentle wind breezing over them.  Unlike the more traditional Disney Princess story, Brave has characters and integral story element that will appeal to most young boy as well.  For us older kids, there are the more risqué elements that will fly gentle over the heads of the younger audience, and even some lessons to be learned while being thoroughly entertained by the action on screen and the story developing in front of us, if we pay close enough attention.  Finally, since much of my ancestry hails from that part of the world, I found myself getting lost in the accents.  Something I enjoyed much more than I expected I would… 

Pixar and Disney have another winner on their hand, at least in my opinion, and look forward to seeing Brave time and time again.  This will become a welcome addition to my collection of Disney Movies.  But, I still strongly recommend seeing it on the big screen, there is a magnificence in the larger movie theater screen that just cannot be captured on the home TV.

I hope you enjoy the movie as much as we did; it is a very touching story, told only like Pixar can tell it.  I even caught my oldest “tough as nails” daughter with a tear in her eye at the end.  That’s saying something.  ;-)

If you have a different opinion, I’d certainly like to hear it.

Your comments or questions are always welcome.  If you have a correction or something you think I should look at in my research, please feel free to contact me at mr.grumpyguy@gmail.com

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