THUNDER BAY – Entertainment – DVD Corner Brave – Disney and Pixar team up yet again to bring us the story of Princess Merida, voiced by Kelly MacDonald, a free spirited princess who wants to defy tradition and carve her own path in life. This family movie is set in the Highlands of Scotland in the Celtic time of Tartan Clans, fighting steel and bows and arrows. The main character is charming, free spirited and passionate despite her mother, the queen’s, voiced by Emma Thompson, attempts to teach Merida how to be a proper princess. Her father, the king, voiced by Billy Connolly, encourages his daughters free spirit and desire to shoot a bow and arrow.
When it is announced that other Clans will be coming to present their sons for betrothal to the princess Merida panics and starts a series of actions that make for an action packed story. This is definitely not your usual Scotland set dragon fighting movie with a surprise villain it has a different spin than the usual Celtic movies. Brave has the usual Disney feel to it and as usual Pixar brings great animation and effects to the scene. It’s story, written by Brenda Chapman, tells a great Scottish tale about family, love acceptance and loyalty.
With not a lot of the usual hype surrounding a Disney movie, it being released at the 2012 Seatle International Film Festival, Brave sneaks in as a new animated classic comparable to Shrek and Toy Story. It’s charming characters, story twist, magical animation and surprise villain make it an excellent family action/fantasy movie for all ages.
This movie gets 4 out of 5 stars
Lynda J. Henshell