Brave (2012) - If You Had to Change Your Fate, Would You?

Rating: 6/10 (17 November 2012)

Throughout Disney-PIXAR's 17-year history, this widely popular film studio has given us some of the most classic animated films, while at times, bringing some minor disappointments. Now, we are introduced to PIXAR's next movie, "Brave", which although is not a terrible movie by any means imaginable, is sadly PIXAR'S weakest film. "Brave" tells the story of a young Princess Merida, who wants to spend the rest of her life shooting arrows, riding horses, and finding her fate, rather than following the rules of her over-protective mother, whom obsessively teaches Merida on becoming a proper princess. After a rough confrontation between mother and daughter, Merida runs deep into the woods to find her fate. I know what you're wondering! You think that this is the start of an exciting adventure film, right? Nope! Instead, she finds her fate right in the middle of the movie, which is rather a potion that she gives to her mother, whom turns into a bear, and the whole movie is Merida trying to turn her mother human again! Yep, that's it. After a strong build-up, and an interesting first act, the movie sadly switches gears from a family-friendly adventure film, to a weird and sappy "kids movie". Although I can't really blame the film for purposely changing it's genre, I do blame the trailers for falsely advertising this movie, but either way, it wouldn't make the film better, though! The way this movie changed it's direction just became a major "let-down". But, not only that, the movie just feels way too cliché for the most part, using the same "mother and daughter" storyline over and over again, which although has a great message behind it, it felt way too recycled and repetitive, after having it used many times in the past. When the movie changes to a goofy kids movie, by having the mother turn into a bear, that is a complete fail on PIXAR's part. But it wasn't all that bad! The animation provided by PIXAR still looks gorgeous as always, the final act was portrayed very nicely, and we get some fine voice talents from Kelly MacDonald as Merida, Emma Thompson as the mother, and Billy Connoly in a scene-stealing voice role as Merida's father who seeks revenge on the bear who took his leg. But the film does have the same cliché story, the message has been used a thousand times before, and this does not have the same "spark" that I found in all of PIXAR's other timeless hits from "Toy Story" to "Finding Nemo". But if this is the movie you crave to see the most, maybe get a rental. "Brave", in my review, "the weakest of Pixar's classics, but good".