A Pixar Film That Barely Succeeds

Rating: 9/10 (22 June 2012)

The moment I read the critic reviews about "Brave," I had to rush immediately to the local movie theater to watch and see what they saw. After watching every scene and the entire story unfold, I was actually impressed all the way to the end!
So, it focuses on a rebellious princess named Merida that dreams to live her own life the way she wants it, rather than having to follow her family's royal, age-old traditions.
As one critic stated in his review, it's reminiscent of Pixar's 2003 movie "Finding Nemo." Why? Because the thematic element of that movie focused on the bonding between a father and son, whereas "Brave" focused on the complete opposite by focusing on the bonding between a mother and daughter. And I started to get that impression as well. Not to mention that it seems to have a cross of the thematic material of "Finding Nemo" and (hint) a similar scenario of Disney's hand-drawn film "Brother Bear."
Overall, I thought it was a Pixar film that greatly surpasses the 2011 critical disappointment of Cars 2. Although I'll admit the film's story felt rushed and could have expanded slightly more, it was legitimate enough and had some mature elements older kids could understand. Fellow 'Harry Potter' alums like Julie Walters, Emma Thompson, and Robbie Coltrane, did a fine job bringing their characters to life with such poise. But, I was in awe seeing and hearing a well-done acting performance by Scottish native/actress Kelly MacDonald (of Boardwalk Empire fame) voicing the lead Merida, and a first for Pixar Animation Studios to focus more on not just their first female lead or first fairy tale-theme, but leaning towards a darker tone compared to their previous lighthearted CG films. It's a welcoming addition to the Pixar Feature collection.