Brave
2012 · Directed by Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman
Original language: English
- adventure
- animation
- family
- fantasy
The story
In the mystical Scottish Highlands, Merida is the princess of a kingdom ruled by King Fergus and Queen Elinor. An unruly daughter and an accomplished archer, Merida one day defies a sacred custom of the land and inadvertently brings turmoil to the kingdom. In an attempt to set things right, Merida seeks out an eccentric old Wise Woman and is granted an ill-fated wish.
What it’s like
Warm, painterly animation with sweeping Highland vistas: misty glens, peat-brown castle halls lit by hearth fire and torchlight, and a fiery red-gold mane that carries much of the colour through every scene. The palette runs from cool blue-green moorland to rich ochre and tartan, and the camera moves with a lively, handheld energy in the forest chases and archery sequences, then settles into soft, intimate framing for mother-daughter conversations. The score is full of Celtic fiddle, pipes and rousing choral swells, with quieter folk melodies in the gentler stretches. Vibe: adventurous, earthy and warm, with a mischievous streak. Pacing is brisk and playful, with a few eerie, dim-lit passages in the woods that give the fantasy some bite. Intensity is mild: a bear attack and a tense chase carry peril, and there is some rough comedy and a brief flash of menace, but no gore and little real cruelty. The arc follows a headstrong young woman learning to see her mother clearly, and a family slowly finding its way back to one another. Suits family viewing, a rainy afternoon, or anyone who wants a spirited, good-hearted story with a Scottish wildness to it.
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