Review: Brave - A classic Disney film?

Brave is the latest Disney animated feature which brings the promise of a new Disney princess in main character Princess Merida (voiced by Kelly Macdonald).

Merida is a passionate archer and daughter of King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). Feeling trapped, Merida is determined to live her life the way she wants to, and when she runs into a mysterious old lady (voiced by Julie Walters) her wishes and actions have drastic consequences for everybody she loves.

The film is a beautifully animated feature which focuses on classic themes embedded in Disney film history: tradition, heritage, rebellion, family and destiny, all linked by a sense of morality. Although I appreciate the aesthetic of this film and enjoyed it immensely I felt like it was simply easy watching and highly predictable.

Now this isn't a bad thing, but haven't we seen this narrative before? The Disney princess narrative is long in its history and vast in its numbers and it's a winning formula but I'm not sure if Brave fits that mould. The Pixar influence has meant that this film isn't a classic Disney narrative that can be placed alongside the likes of Beauty and the Beast or Cinderella, but once again this isn't a bad thing.

Brave adapts and plays on this winning formula to create a strong lead character that will win over its audience just like Rapunzel did in Disney's Tangled. The establishment of a classic Disney hero, a princess, a donor and a villain alongside a journey of self discovery is a guaranteed hit with its audience. The narrative is filled with heart warming and funny moments that give it that classic Disney feel that emphasises its plot and themes. However at the same time the narrative pushes the family theme to the front and pushes the traditional romantic narrative at the fore front of so many Disney classics into the background.

Brave is definitely a film of 3 parts. Each act predictably develops the narrative and the characters and really drives the narrative forward. In parts its narrative is witty and charming and I adore the relationship between Merida and Queen Elinor. The aesthetic and the narrative present an exciting future for the Disney/Pixar collaboration which breaks away from the Disney princess classics and their narrative. Brave is a unique combination of classic and modern Disney which means in places the narrative is flawed but overall is refreshing and heart warming.

Emma