Movie Depicts Girl in Awkward Hair Phase, Gets Pilloried

Rating: 9/10 (14 November 2012)

The number of negative reviews for this film truly staggered me, but I did find some common themes throughout most of this criticism. It seems that many reviewers felt that the heroine, Merida, was selfish, resented the chores of her position, and whined a lot. Well, HOLD THE PRESSES! Teenagers dislike their parents? Resent the things they are told they must do? Desire to find their own path? And they whine a lot? NEVER!!!! A least not for a girl, it seems. One review even went so far as to call Merida a "bitch." This highly offensive language directed at a CARTOON CHARACTER hides some truly twisted hatred toward women.
To offer a contrast, I give you: Luke Skywalker. Yep, Luke "But I wanna go to Tashi station and pick up some power-converters" Skywalker. I love Luke, but let's face it, he was a whiny, snot-nosed kid until far into "Empire." And he had some major Dad issues. But that's OK because films about Father/son issues abound. Apparently Mother/daughter issues aren't to be discussed in film.
Personally, I wanted to give my Mom a great "bear" (sorry) hug after watching this film. Not only did the visual aspects carry me to a beautiful other-world in the first moments, but I was EXTREMELY pleased with the character of the Mother, Elinor. Emma Thompson's portrayal and the writing made her a REAL MOM. She wasn't evil. She was just being a Mom. And anyone who ever had or has been a teenager can sympathize with Merida's desire to break free from her parents' identities and establish her own.
In the end, Merida comes to love and understand her mother for the human-being she is, not the evil "bear" of her fantasy. And her mother goes through the same arc as well, nicely completing the circle of a young woman trying to establish her own identity in the shadow of a powerful mother, and her mother learning to appreciate her daughter for her own strengths.
This happens to girls as well as men. We all eventually have to make our peace with our parents. This story just happened to focus on the female experience instead of the male. I don't think there would be half the criticism of this movie if the gender-roles were reversed.
I, for one, felt elated to finally see this age-old story told without having to translate the genders to fit my experience -- the doting father and the mother who "just doesn't get me." I'm terribly sorry if some men were put off by the female characters not conforming to their infantile stereotypes, and that they weren't pandered to in the music, stylization, and depiction of the characters, but tough, fellas. You get EVERY OTHER MOVIE. We girls get ONE that doesn't think we only care about boys and accepts that girls go through awkward hair stages, too.
So, like Luke, Merida eventually takes up her grown-up mantle and finds peace with her Mother. What on earth is wrong with that? Oh the music was "girly?" Not enough boobs? Watch "Ironman," grow up, and quit your whining!