Brave

Welcome to another episode of Lights....Camera....Popcorn!

Today's review is Brave.

Directed by Marc Andrews, Brenda Chapman & Steve Purcell.

Written by Marc Andrews, Brenda Chapman, Steve Purcell & Irene Mecchi.

Screen Story by Brenda Chapman.

Review #161

MPAA Rating: PG for some scary action and rude humor.

Runtime: 100 min

Cast

Kelly Macdonald ...Merida (voice)

Billy Connolly ...Fergus (voice)

Emma Thompson ...Elinor (voice)

Julie Walters ...The Witch (voice)

Robbie Coltrane ...Lord Dingwall (voice)

Kevin McKidd ...Lord MacGuffin / Young MacGuffin (voice)

Craig Ferguson ...Lord Macintosh (voice)

Callum O'Neill ...Wee Dingwall (voice)

Patrick Doyle ...Martin (voice)

John Ratzenberger ...Gordon (voice)

It's another summer movie season. And like clockwork, another Pixar feature comes to grace us all with it's presence. Now I'm going to save you all and not repeat my effusive praise for the animation film giant. I choose not to for 2 reasons.

1) I'm sure by now all of you are sick of my overwhelming kiddie like passion for this company's product.

2) This film doesn't deserve it.

That last comment doesn't necessarily mean that Brave is a bad film. Quite the contrary in fact. It's just as good as the other entries in Pixar's library.

And that ladies and gentlemen is the problem.

Plot


Determined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Merida must rely on her bravery and her archery skills to undo a beastly curse. 

With all the hits that Pixar has cranked out. It's hard to imagine that they would rest on their laurels and just make a film that ups the ante technology wise but fails to do that with the story. Unfortunately, Brave is a film that subscribes to this formula.  As always, Brave excels in the animation and voice acting department. They are rivaled by no one there.

For me Brave falls flat with the films main story.

It's a tale of 2 different movies. The first act treats you to a very sweeping world of majestic scenery and wonder. You get the feeling that Pixar has brought us to an entirely new world. A more realistic world. No more monsters in the closet, superheroes, talking cars or toys. Brave actually plays like a film set in an authentic time period. I was very much into it. That is umtil the film does a complete 180 and follows the fantasy blueprint that other films including some of Brave's Pixar predecessors have employed in the past.

It was this turn that switched me off.

Brave like all of Pixar's film carried a life message and I was disappointed that the writers chose to express said message this way. I felt they took a shortcut and followed what worked in the past. They had a chance to break new ground and give us a newer kind of adventure. It really is a shame because there's SO much about Brave to love.

One word of warning when taking the kiddies.

Brave contains some pretty loud and aggressive fight scenes with bears. There's no blood but the roars and violent movements of the animal can get pretty intense.

You have been warned.

On that note, I'm going to end this review right here. I realize that it's one of my shorter ones in history. I just don't feel I can get into much more about the film without giving away too much plot info. I leave it to you to see it and then seek me out for my more in depth opinion.

On the 5 star scale. Brave gets 3.5 stars. With a "Go See It!" recommendation.

That's a wrap for today. Up next is Ted.

Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"

"D"