A very average effort from Pixar

Rating: 5/10 (22 January 2016)

Pixar isn't known for its films falling into the 'average' category. All of their films are extremely inventive and feel genuine, excluding the lacklustre Cars and its weak sequel. However, Brave is a distinctly middle of the road effort from Pixar and one that lacks their usual innovative spark. For all its imaginative animation and varied comedic moments, you can't help but feel that something is missing when taking in the film as a whole. Set in mythical Scotland, the adventurous Princess Merida is told that she must marry despite her grievances. She defies her mother's wishes, receiving a potion from a witch and their relationship is tested in an unexpected way when the mother is turned into a bear. The film originally looked like it was going to tackle the challenges that Merida must face, but it becomes more of a film about the connection between a mother and daughter.
Now this could be fine if it's done well, but two of the films biggest issues lie in the story. Firstly, the story is very predictable. From the very beginning of the conflict you know what's going to happen and that they'll be an obvious resolution at end, which is never properly explained anyway. Secondly, Merida has no arch and she doesn't change as the film progresses. She starts out free-spirited and irresponsible then she ends up being exactly the same way at the conclusion. She doesn't learn or develop despite what takes place between her and Elinor, in fact I'd argue that Elinor has a lot more growth as a result. Merida also isn't an enjoyable character because she is far too whiny and uninteresting to ever be truly invested in. She just comes across as an insensitive teenager, she isn't funny or smart and she isn't nearly as courageous as she's built up to be.
With that said I did like the other characters. Elinor remains very dignified and likable despite all that she is put through. Fergus is an enjoyable king and gets plenty of laughs for his energetic behaviour, while having Billy Connolly voice him was smart idea. The Witch is more of a modern, fast-talker and she is amusing despite her limited appearance in all fairness. The three lords are all colourful and great fun, creating an entertaining sense of rivalry and providing most of the laughs. As a matter of fact the film does have a good sense of humour which is one of its strong points. The comedy is well varied, the slapstick is very well done and the majority of the jokes are at least amusing. Going back to the story, one thing that was good about it was the mother's mind becoming more bear-like over time, which was a nice twist and kept a tension that was badly needed.
The animation is very impressive once again. It's always nice to see Pixar tackle different places and medieval Scotland was a smart choice. A real sense of wonder and majesty was crafted simply from the visuals alone, the landscapes look beautiful and even the designs on the characters (such as Merida's distinctive hair) are so detailed. The Scottish folklore was really enjoyable and created a strong atmosphere which makes it such a shame so little of it was used because certainly it would have made things much more interesting had it been developed. Patrick Doyle deserves credit for his distinctive score, it carries that Celtic sound thanks to the strong use of bagpipes but it also has many gripping melodies and does create a good backdrop for the images. In contrast, there is a lack of emotional connection throughout the film and that's something Pixar usually excels at. I found myself not caring about any of the characters or where the film was going to end up, which turned it into a dull experience at times and especially during the middle section.
So for all of Brave's great technical aspects, it is let down where it truly matters with its story and main character. The story is so by-the-book and predictable that it's so difficult to be engaged by the journey it undertakes, it takes no risks and pushes no boundaries. It doesn't help when you have a dull lead because Merida is very boring to follow and as said she doesn't grow as a character. The film does have positives because the side characters, animation and score are all very good. Yet because this is from a studio as talented as Pixar we're always going to expect something great because they're fully capable of producing it. In a way it's disappointing more than anything else because the film did have so much potential and it will simply go down as a noticeably ordinary Pixar effort.