MOVIE REVIEW: Walt Disney's Brave

Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar's BRAVE is an epic tale of familial bonds and its also about family, duty and responsibility. It's so good and it's so cool but I really feel like there's something missing.

The film features the voices Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson and Robbie Coltrane to name a few and is directed by Mark Andrews.

I liked Brave. It's one of those few movies that will entertain you for approximately two hours and then lets you leave feeling all good about yourself. It's also a fun film for the kids to see (especially in 3D).

But if there would be any age groups that should see this as a pair, its got to be the mother and daughters. So if you plan to have a girl's night out with your mother to get her away from the house, I'm banking on you seeing Brave.

Now for the finer details about this film. Brave was good, it should be especially since it was created by Pixar; the same guys who brought us classics like Finding Nemo, Up and Wall-E. But compared to the aforementioned heavy hitters this was one that fell short. Don't get me wrong, its good but if you're one of those popcorn munchers who expects Academy Award winning flicks in a cartoon, then you'll be a bit disappointed. Its good but not groundbreaking. It will make you probably shed a tear but it won't make you bite your lip trying to avoid really bursting into tears the way "Up" did a few years back...

I still shed a tear when I catch this on the Disney Channel

My point is, its not groundbreaking but its still worth your money. Everything clear? Good.

Now while the story centers around Merida and her kooky clan of Scottish royalty its her entire family that spices up the story. But its really Emma Thompson's Queen Elinor that makes for an entertaining piece. They banter and infuriate each other but by the end of the story they remember that they love each other. 

I like the 3D approach on this film. I liked it but I found that there were really only a few scenes in the film that played with the technology at hand. Flying arrows and splashing water are all we could see when in fact they could have made it that so that the leaves that Merida passes while searching for "something" hits us in the face. 

The other characters in the film seemed very two dimensional and archetypical which is not a bad thing. My only wish for these guys were added screen time. I mean take a look at the redheaded triplets; they were really so adorable and every scene with them around really made it ummmm, cute. But because we had to focus too much on the development or the rebonding of the mother and daughter tandem, the triplets had to stay on the sideline. 

The main villain wasn't much of a main villain as well. Heck Merida and Elinor could have ended the movie without the appearance of the big bad bear. Mind you it would have been better if they really developed more things for the character aside from a flashback or two and some twists of fate. 

Overall, Brave is an enjoyable movie with lots of great visuals and a nice story. It's really short compared to the other flicks but its good nonetheless. Much applause to the guys at Pixar and Walt Disney for handing over such a nice and heartwarming story for the entire family. 

Verdict: 8/10

Special thanks to Walt Disney Pictures (Please guys, LIKE them on Facebook). "Brave" is now showing in theaters nationwide.