Review: Brave (2012)

Kelly Macdonald voices Disney's newest princess Merida

Directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman
Produced by Katherine Sarafian
Written by Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell, Brenda Chapman, and Irene Mecchi
Starring Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters, Robbie Coltrane, Kevin McKidd, and Craig Ferguson

***

After last year's disappointment with Cars 2, Disney and Pixar return with a heartwarming Scottish fairy tale. The fabulous Kelly Macdonald voices the princess Merida, who seeks her independence at the chagrin of her mother the Queen (Thompson). After she wins an archery contest for her own hand, she procures a potion from a witch to change her mother. Things go awry when her mother becomes a bear (literally), and she must mend the brokenness between them in order to reverse the spell and keep her family together. Despite lacking a certain cohesion to the narrative, this is a touching little film.

Disney-Pixar collaborations always feature terrific animation, and this film is no different. In addition, the casting is spot-on, accents and all. The characters are well-rounded, and the story has been given great care. However, the story feels a bit scattered, with little details sacrificed at the expense of a better movie. Though the film does not stray from its course, it does seem choppy in some sections. Of course, the overall arc still works fine, but I wanted to know more about these characters and this world. The film is so short that most of the characters are only allowed to flicker instead of shine. Still, Brave is an enjoyable tale and serves as a solid entry into Disney and Pixar's collection.

Oscar Potential: Best Animated Feature Film, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing