Sunday, July 15, 2012

Brave - Movie Review

Starring the voices of Kelly MacDonald, Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly, Julie Walters, Robbie Coltrane, Kevin McKidd and Craig Ferguson. Directed by Mark Andrews & Brenda Chapman.

★★★

 We're seeing further evidence of Disney and Pixar operating under the same roof. Brave has the visual hallmarks of Pixar, but the straightforward story qualities of a Disney movie. Merida could be right at home greeting kids at DisneyWorld next to Rapunzel.

 Merida (voiced by Boardwalk Empire's Kelly MacDonald) is the firstborn daughter of the Scottish king. (I don't think they ever say "Scotland" but tis all heavily implied.) Merida prefers to ride horses and shoot arrows than learn how to be a proper lady from her mother (Emma Thompson). When she finds out she has three suitors coming for her hand in marriage, she desperately tries to find something that will "chaynge her fayte."

Thankfully, marketing for this movie left out what the big fate-changing twist is halfway through this movie, although I had an idea just from the movie's original title and a couple jokes I saw on Twitter. The movie doesn't have as many laughs as Pixar's more comedic efforts, nor the memorable supporting characters. It does benefit from being the only animated movie I can think of where it's about the relationship of a mother and daughter. Mom's usually already dead in movies like these.

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