Delightful but not very memorable

Rating: 7/10 (24 June 2012)

When you hear Pixar you think of the films that will likely be considered classics if they aren't so already. Here we are given a film slightly outside of Pixar's usual area of expertise, and though it wasn't necessarily graceful in its undertaking, it certainly tried.
There were a lot of aspects to the film that deserve recognition. The environments were beautiful, the comedy hardly felt forced, and there were--as per Pixar style--a few good moments throughout the film. Unfortunately, it's not enough to give it standing next to its kin. We are given Merida, a stubborn princess who loves archery and desires nothing more than to change her fate. And sadly she is the biggest flaw. Merida is not a person. She is simply a girl who plays a role. This role is of a feisty woman who gives everything she has to defy the bounds placed on her. That's all she is. She has little to no actual desires, other than to defy. She wants what she wants, and ultimately gets it. Sure, she admits her mistakes and apologizes, but when it comes to compromise, she's all take and no give. She has no likability--she's tough, defiant, and these are all good traits, but you can't make a character come alive by these general traits alone. You don't hate her, but you can't really bring yourself to like her either. As for the other minor characters, though they are minor, they do bring some charm. The mother, who plays a more important role, is by far more developed and engaging.
The saddest thing about this film, for me, is that it wasn't what I wanted. I didn't leave the theatre disappointed, per se, but I wanted more: especially from a company with a track record like Pixar's. I wanted a serious film with a good story and a cast of characters that were fleshed out. I wanted a film that took its audience seriously and brought us a beautiful fantasy, topped with relatable plights and a well-developed heroine. The film gave us a bit of this, but not to the level that I hoped, expected, and desired.
It wasn't a let down. But I hope to see--at least after the god awful premise that is Monster's University is out of the way--that PIxar might head towards a trend similar to that of Ghibli or earlier Don Bluth. Pixar might be owned by Disney, but I don't want to see them "Disneyfied".
All in all though, this film is at least worth watching. It's funny, charming, and despite its flaws had a lot of effort and love put into it.