Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Review: 'Brave' Is a Winner!


It's been over two weeks since Pixar's thirteenth animated feature film, Brave, hit theaters, so I think it's about time that I posted my honest opinion on the film. So here it goes.

You may have been hearing a lot of these "Pixar is losing its touch" rumors, but honestly, you should take these rumors with a grain of salt. Sure, Cars 2 wasn't quite as spectacular as other Pixar classics like WALL-E and Up, but it was no piece of junk. Brave is proof that Pixar can still make films worthy of being called masterpieces.

When I first heard that Pixar was doing a fairy tale, I wasn't too keen on the idea, but Brave colors outside the lines and doesn't follow the typical fairy tale formula. Yes, it borrows some familiar elements, like the inclusion of a witch and a magical curse, but it has enough originality to keep you intrigued. And since Brave focuses heavily on the mother-daughter bond between Merida and Elinor, there is no need for any romance in this movie.


Pixar has a history of making audiences tear up during their films, and the talented artists and storytellers at the studio have once again inserted a heartfelt story with a touching moral into their tale. Remember to bring tissues when you watch Brave, just in case. Even if you are not a daughter or a mother, you'll be able to relate to the characters and the story in some way. By the end of the third act, you'll feel like Merida and Elinor are close friends, and you can feel both their joy and pain.

The characters in Brave are phenomenal. Merida, Elinor, Fergus, the triplets, and all these others fit right in with the classic characters that we know and love from past Pixar movies, and they already feel like part of the ever-growing Pixar family.

From a technical standpoint, Pixar continues to improve even more with each film they produce. Brave is the most visually-stunning film to come out from the studio to date, with breathtaking Scottish landscapes that will leave you in awe. And let's not forget Merida's fascinating red hair, which could be considered a  milestone in animation.

Brave is also enriched with composer Patrick Doyle's wonderful score for the film, which captures the feel of Scotland and is overall very pleasant to listen to. The film is also accompanied by three songs, which are all extremely beautiful, and as I have stated before, some of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. They make the scenes in which they are played even better.

Pixar is yet to disappoint me, because I am proud to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed every single bit of every single one of their films to date, and it's not just because I am a faithful fanboy of the studio. In every single movie, I have been captivated by the characters and story, and have discovered something new.

Brave is a beautiful story that will leave you with something meaningful to think about after bringing you along on an exhilarating adventure. In other words, Brave is yet another Pixar classic.

2 comments:

Hannah said...

Agreed- AMAZING movie, I've already seen it twice!

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for your good review on the movie Brave. I have read a few reviews frowning upon the movie but the trailer looks great. We just got the video game in the mail after ordering it on Blockbuster @Home. I haven't played the game yet; my kids keep hogging the game system! I have been wanting to take them to go see it sometime this week but I have been so busy working late at Dish, I haven't had time. Hopefully this weekend we can check it out.