Brave
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In the mystical Scottish Highlands, Merida is the princess of a kingdom ruled by King Fergus and Queen Elinor. An unruly daughter and an accomplished archer, Merida one day defies a sacred custom of the land and inadvertently brings turmoil to the kingdom. In an attempt to set things right, Merida seeks out an eccentric old Wise Woman and is granted an ill-fated wish. Also figuring into Merida's quest — and serving as comic relief — are the kingdom's three lords: the enormous Lord MacGuffin, the surly Lord Macintosh, and the disagreeable Lord Dingwall.
What critics thought
Brave earned a warm but notably qualified reception — positive enough, but clearly a tier below Pixar's most celebrated work. Critics largely enjoyed the Scottish setting and Merida as a fresher kind of princess, but split hard over the second-act story turn involving her mother, with some finding it charmingly strange and others feeling it derailed the film's emotional momentum before it could build.
“The good news is that the kids will probably love it, and the bad news is that parents will be disappointed if they're hoping for another Pixar groundbreaker. Unlike such brightly original films as Toy Story, Finding Nemo, WALL-E, and Up, this one finds Pixar poaching on traditional territory of Disney.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“offers a tougher, more self-reliant heroine for an era in which princes aren't so charming, set in a sumptuously detailed Scottish environment, where her spirit blazes bright as her fiery red hair”
Peter Debruge·Variety
“diminishes into a rather wee thing as it chugs along, with climactic drama that is both too conveniently wrapped up and hinges on magical elements that are somewhat confusing to boot”
Todd McCarthy·The Hollywood Reporter
“I'll give it points for originality, but that story twist is so bizarre that it knocked me for a loop. The movie tries to make up for this detour with a heart-tugging, emotional finale, but the buildup to that moment has been undermined, so it doesn't have the impact it should.”
Leonard Maltin·IndieWire
Accolades
Genres
Action, Adventure, Animation
Cast & Crew
Mark AndrewsDirector
Brenda ChapmanDirector
Kelly MacdonaldMerida (voice)
Emma ThompsonElinor (voice)
Billy ConnollyFergus (voice)
Julie WaltersThe Witch (voice)
Robbie ColtraneLord Dingwall (voice)
Kevin McKiddLord MacGuffin / Young MacGuffin (voice)
Craig FergusonLord Macintosh (voice)
Peigi BarkerYoung Merida (voice)
Steve PurcellThe Crow (voice)
Patrick DoyleMartin (voice)
John RatzenbergerGordon (voice)Patrick DoyleComposerSteve PurcellWriter
Irene MecchiWriter
Danielle FeinbergCinematographyFrom the studio
Brave
In the mystical Scottish Highlands, Merida is the princess of a kingdom ruled by King Fergus and Queen Elinor. An unruly daughter and an accomplished archer, Merida one day defies a sacred custom of the land and inadvertently brings turmoil to the kingdom. In an attempt to set things right, Merida seeks out an eccentric old Wise Woman and is granted an ill-fated wish. Also figuring into Merida's quest — and serving as comic relief — are the kingdom's three lords: the enormous Lord MacGuffin, the surly Lord Macintosh, and the disagreeable Lord Dingwall.
What critics thought
Brave earned a warm but notably qualified reception — positive enough, but clearly a tier below Pixar's most celebrated work. Critics largely enjoyed the Scottish setting and Merida as a fresher kind of princess, but split hard over the second-act story turn involving her mother, with some finding it charmingly strange and others feeling it derailed the film's emotional momentum before it could build.
“The good news is that the kids will probably love it, and the bad news is that parents will be disappointed if they're hoping for another Pixar groundbreaker. Unlike such brightly original films as Toy Story, Finding Nemo, WALL-E, and Up, this one finds Pixar poaching on traditional territory of Disney.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“offers a tougher, more self-reliant heroine for an era in which princes aren't so charming, set in a sumptuously detailed Scottish environment, where her spirit blazes bright as her fiery red hair”
Peter Debruge·Variety
“diminishes into a rather wee thing as it chugs along, with climactic drama that is both too conveniently wrapped up and hinges on magical elements that are somewhat confusing to boot”
Todd McCarthy·The Hollywood Reporter
“I'll give it points for originality, but that story twist is so bizarre that it knocked me for a loop. The movie tries to make up for this detour with a heart-tugging, emotional finale, but the buildup to that moment has been undermined, so it doesn't have the impact it should.”
Leonard Maltin·IndieWire
Accolades
Genres
Action, Adventure, Animation
Cast & Crew
Mark AndrewsDirectorBrenda ChapmanDirectorKelly MacdonaldMerida (voice)Emma ThompsonElinor (voice)Billy ConnollyFergus (voice)Julie WaltersThe Witch (voice)Robbie ColtraneLord Dingwall (voice)Kevin McKiddLord MacGuffin / Young MacGuffin (voice)Craig FergusonLord Macintosh (voice)Peigi BarkerYoung Merida (voice)Steve PurcellThe Crow (voice)Patrick DoyleMartin (voice)John RatzenbergerGordon (voice)Patrick DoyleComposerSteve PurcellWriterIrene MecchiWriterDanielle FeinbergCinematographyFrom the studio
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Rent & Buy