Into the Woods

Rating: 8/10 (7 July 2012)

The latest Pixar film is surprisingly original and fun to watch. Unlike last year's sort of dud of Cars 2, this film has an interesting, fun, and mystical story that keeps the viewers entertained. Not only is Brave a lot of fun to watch, but it is also deep, meaningful, and touching.
Young Merida is the princess of a kingdom in medieval Scotland, and a complete tomboy. She is the older sister of a set of mischievous, triplet brothers, she uses a bow and arrow better than most warriors, and she doesn't get along with her mother. The queen wants her daughter to act like a lady, and eventually decides to bring the other three kingdoms over, with the intention of marrying Merida off. However, the spunky red-haired daughter decides to visit a witch and change her fate. Of course this causes problems, and Merida must go on a journey of sorts to save her family.
The plot structure is at times predictable, but that doesn't mean the film isn't original. The characters are all likable, funny, and complex. And the old fashioned fairy tale aspect is more than welcome. Many movies that have come out recently rely too much on the "re-imagining" of fairy tales and stories, but this one plays it straight, and benefits enormously from it. The woods outside the castle are filled with bears, witches, ancient structures, and spirits.
The computer animated world is beautiful to look at, with rolling hills and a dark, ominous forest. The world is completely immersive; there is never a visual that seems out of place or unbelievable. Even the characters seem more detailed than in any previous Pixar film, most notably Merida's long, curly red hair, which is wonderful to look at.
The film has some problems, including a few songs that play over montages, which are unnecessary and unwanted, and the third act almost becomes too predictable and tired, but by the end, the story picks itself back up again. Perhaps the sometimes awkward moments are a result of Brenda Chapman being fired from directing the film, and it being finished by Mark Andrews. Also, the film could have benefited from delving deeper into the mythology of creatures that live in the forest. The will-o-whisps are fine, but it would have been nice to have something a little more. Still, the film is a fun blockbuster that knows how to tell a good story, which is all I ask.
http://thatguythatlikesmovies.blogspot.com/