REVIEW: Brave 3D

MOVIE
Brave

CAST
Kelly Macdonald,
Emma Thompson

RATING
PG

RELEASE
June 22, 2012

DIRECTOR(S)
Mark Andrews,
Brenda Chapman

STUDIO(S)
Disney·Pixar

RUNNING TIME
1 hour 33 minutes




STARS
***3/4









REVIEW:

Pixar is notorious for have setting the bar for all animated films out there.  The last film of theirs that people really fell high over heels for was 'Toy Story 3,' and that has since become something of a phenomenon in society.  'Cars 2' people felt was to childish and made more for money rather than passion.  The marketing for their latest film 'Brave' made it seem that Pixar might be starting to lose their magical touch on the human heart and soul.  Well to the doubters out there who didn't think 'Brave' was going to be good, they should be ashamed of themselves unless they go in expecting another tour-de-force film like 'Up' or 'Finding Nemo.'  'Brave' is a hilarious, beautiful, and visceral movie that any audience can enjoy if their minds are in the right place.  Sure it isn't the masterpiece that Pixar usually pops out, but it is still great fun and it should probably make those who disliked 'Cars 2' a lot happier.

The advantage of 'Brave' is that it features Pixar's first female protagonist in the form of Merida.  Merida is the princess to a Scottish kingdom ruled by her mellow dad and her uptight mother.  Her mother wants her daughter to set an example for the kingdom, as well as be the rightful heir to the throne.  This involves finding a husband for the young girl, for who doesn't want to get married.  It just so happens that Merida is a skilled archer and wants to choose her own destiny in life rather than her mom deciding what she will and won't do.  Things get really insane when Merida starts playing around with witches and trying to change her fate, when things go in a way that pulls everyone for a loop.

The voices for the characters are very good and very Scottish.  Kelly Macdonald of 'Boardwalk Empire' fame gives her voice to the heroine Merida.  Not only is Macdonald's voice fantastic for Merida, but she puts so much of a teenage angst into the character that you can somewhat relate to Merida's problems with her mother.  Speaking of mothers, Emma Thompson is also great, playing the queen of the land and Merida's uptight parental figure who fails to show much love to her daughter throughout the first half hour of the movie.  Billy Connolly lends a comedic voice to the king of the land/Merida's father, who has a grudge against all bears after one took his leg.  All of the voice actors in this film are great overall, but the characters who steal the show are the three young brothers of Merida.  These little guys love to eat any type of sugary treat and will stop at nothing to get these treats in the most comedic and mischievous ways you could think of for a movie set hundreds of years ago in Europe.  All of the characters are great for what they're supposed to do.  Some are supposed to be funny, some are supposed to be there for action, and the rest are there for the heart of the film.

A strong key in this film is that it, not only tells a great story of a likable girl and her uptight mother, but also gives a deep message about the importance of family and how far things could go if someone would want to change their fate.  Pixar is notorious for presenting strong messages in their films, and 'Brave' is no exception to this trend.  This film is funny, moving, and darker than any other Pixar film to date.  It's not as deep as the opening 10 minutes of 'Up' or the final 15 minutes of 'Toy Story 3,' but it may not be the best film to take younger kids to.  The animation, especially in 3D, is absolutely stellar to look at.  The voice cast could not have been better for this type of movie.  The story, while predictable, still keeps the audience in its grasp for the 93 minutes this film runs.

'Madagascar 3' is out there for the younger kids, as well as those looking for some humorous laughs.  'Brave' should be seen by older kids who want to follow a brave but single minded girl on one crazy adventure.  If one is looking for the next masterpiece from Pixar, then chances are they will be very disappointed in this movie.  However if one is either A.) over the age of 8, or B.) not expecting anything spectacular from this studio, then the odds of enjoying 'Brave' are more than likely.  Overall, 'Brave' is a worthy addition to the Pixar family, despite being different than most other movies to come out from the studio.  

PREVIEWS YOU MAY SEE:


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Finding Nemo 3D


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