Issue 42 /2012
www.guestlist.netFILM 14 7
Pixar's new Scottish-set adventure, uncovers a new tale in the mysterious Highlands of Scotland.
BRAVE
As the undisputed kings of computer anima- tion, Pixar have been allowed to drop the ball on occasion – namely Cars and its sequel, which are both rather shallow exercises but sport lucrative merchandising opportunities for the studio and it's investors. The unspo- ken deal between Pixar and their legions of fans is that for each underwhelming cash cow produced, a undeniable masterwork such as Up or Toy Story 3 must follow. And with their most recent work being the divisive Cars 2, it seems to be a ripe old time for a bona fide Pixar classic. Cue Brave.
Flame-haired Scottish princess Merida is the strong, feisty heroine of the piece – a Pixar first – and voiced by the charming Kelly McDonald (No Country For Old Men). With her domineering mother (Emma Thompson) giving her a choice to marry one of three pinheads, Merida runs away to a nearby for- est. There she meets a witch who promises to change the young princesses fate, and so begins this fantastic twist on the usual fairytale format. In an era of movies surrendering their most impressive moments to the first thirty sec-
onds of their trailer (Hello, The Dark Knight Rises!), it shows admirable restraint on the part of Pixar that a particularly sensational plot-point of Bravehas been left as a surprise for cinema goers. That surprise will not be revealed here, either – suffice to say it all results in a very sweet tale. The mother/daughter relationship takes precedence, but there's a hilarious roster of supporting characters to provide relief, including Billy Connelly as the lovably boorish king.
