Disney Pixar’s Brave is a wonderfully funny tale of family, tradition and compromise that will have you laughing aloud and hoping for a happy ending.
Brave tells the story of Merida, a fiery red haired Scottish princess who prefers firing her bow and riding her horse Angus than acting like the lady her mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson) expects her to be. Peg legged King Fergus (Billy Connolly), is a hilarious addition but is more concerned with killing the ferocious bear who munched off his limb than encouraging his daughter to act like a princess.
The Royal Family including King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson)
The story comes to a head when the leaders of the kingdom’s three clans arrive at King Fergus’ castle, each providing a son who will battle for a chance to win Merida’s hand in marriage. Predictably, this does not sit well with the freedom-loving princess who rebels against tradition and embarrasses her mother in front of the men. Angry and upset, Merida makes a deal with an evil witch in a spooky forest with dire consequences.
Brave is an intriguing movie that is enjoyable for children and adults alike. The animation is attentive and Scotland’s landscape is beautifully explored in 3D throughout Merida’s adventures. The first moments of the film are deeply exciting, but after this it is slow to take off as Merida morphs from a child into a stubborn teenager. Saying that, the humour of the film takes over particularly in the form of the dastardly triplet princes Hamish, Harris and Hubert who are constantly up to mischief around the castle. Billy Connolly steals the show as the boozy and rambunctious King Fergus’ and his interactions with the other clans will have you laughing aloud.
The leaders of the Scottish clans
Over all, Brave is deeply enjoyable and holds its own against Pixar’s other classics such as Toy Story and Up. It is a hilarious film that will have you itching to rent the DVD the moment you leave the cinema.
