I was a little surprised at the lukewarm reception Brave was getting from the critics. People were saying it wasn't up to Pixar standards but that it was a great addition to the Disney Princess line-up. I will say that the second part of that is fair; Merida easily joins the ranks of luminaries like Belle and Cinderella. I don't necessarily agree with the first assessment, though. The movie is funny, beautifully designed, and heart-warming. These are all traits I associate with Pixar. Is it transcendental like Wall-E or Toy Story 3? No, but that doesn't mean it's a flop.Merida (Kelly McDonald) is a wild child who just happens to be a highland princess. She would much rather be riding her horse and shooting arrows than learning protocol and needlepoint, like her mother wants her to do. So, when Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson) announces that the other tribal chiefs will be sending suitors to compete for her hand, Merida wants none of it. She quickly names archery as the required competition and proceeds to soundly trounce all comers. Furious, the queen drags her to the castle to explain that this tradition is all that keeps the country from being at war and that it's time for Merida to grow up. Merida slices her mother's tapestry, Elinor throws her bow into the fire, and Merida takes off. She runs to the forest, desperate to change her fate, and comes across a witch's cottage. She trades a locket for a spell, one spell to change her future...by changing her mother's mind. But magic doesn't always work out as advertised. Merida must use every resource at her disposal to deal with the consequences of her actions before they become permanent.
It's a charming addition to your Pixar collection. I know I'll be adding it to mine.
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