When a highly successful brand such as Pixar produces a
film it has a lot to stand up against. Toy Story and the Incredibles loom large
over any forth coming productions and Brave has its work cut out but it
certainly has a great start with the awe-inspiring back drop of a rugged
Scotland.
Merida is a Scottish Princess who has a duty to follow
but has decided that she doesn’t want to wed any of her hopeless suitors. This
classic storyline is turned on its head though when she stumbles into the open
arms of an ancient curse and we are drawn into the chase to save her loved
ones. This lead character is voiced by the versatile and excellent Kelly
Macdonald who has featured in a range of films including No Country for Old
Men, Nanny McPhee and Trainspotting. She is thankfully Scottish and her rich
voice and talent shine through.
Merida’s giant of a father is played by jovial Billy
Connolly and her mother by Emma Thompson who on the face of it struggles to fit
into the earthy selection of voices, although her character, the disappointed
mother, is arguably meant to be one of the conflicting aspects of the
storyline. She fails to charm. The local Lords, played by Robbie Coltrane, Kevin
McKidd and Craig Ferguson who come to present their sons to claim Merida’s hand
in marriage are, through no fault of the actors, poorly developed and overly
comical but the witch, who is voiced by Julie Walters, suitably adds magic to
the plot.
A clever aspect which makes Brave very relevant for
today’s market, and perhaps the strength of the film, is the story that lies
just under the surface. Aside from her role as Princess, Merida is an
independent young woman. She wants to be different, break with tradition and
prove her skills rather than be subjugated by her father and forced into a
stereotypical role. For all those young girls out there she is a rebel hero, and
something to aspire to. Brave proves to be a great yearn, with action, humour
and terror but, when there is no male lead in the film, it does appear to want
to exclude boys from the viewing figures.
72/100
