The women of “Brave” are the strong ones

Juan Barquin/Columnist

After a disappointing delivery last year with “Cars 2,” everyone has been looking forward to seeing what Pixar would come up with next. Teasing audiences with only the vaguest previews of a young, fiery woman interested in archery, Pixar’s “Brave” captured the attention of many. Why reveal more when you could reveal nothing to audiences aside from lush scenery and an interesting character?”Brave” follows the aforementioned young woman named Merida, a rebellious princess who’d rather hone her archery skills than learn to rule a kingdom. The relationship with her parents is less than traditional. Her father, King Fergus, supports her adventurous nature while her mother, Queen Elinor, dreams of making her daughter a proper lady.It doesn’t take long for Merida to defy tradition by participating in the archery match against the first born sons of three lords for her own hand in marriage. Her actions lead to a rift in the kingdom’s peace, sparking a fight between Merida and her mother that will inevitably change the fate of everyone around her.

While Pixar’s previous films have centered around male characters, “Brave” provides a good contrast to the father-son relationship with its portrayal of Merida and Queen Elinor. This mother-daughter relationship is something that young girls desperately needed in animation; one in which there is no wicked stepmother or a prince in disguise ready to save the day. Merida and Elinor are both well-formed female characters who have the ability to help themselves and each other, and the film benefits greatly from their large roles.

The male characters of “Brave” serve as nothing more than mere props. They’re testosterone-enhanced fools who are pushed aside from female progression. Even Merida’s three brothers serve to enhance the adorable factor of the movie, while providing some physical humor in tense moments.

Men may have the title of ruling the kingdom, but it is the women of “Brave” who have all the control here, as Merida and Elinor demonstrate more than once through both their words and actions. As George R. R. Martin once wrote, “The women are the strong ones, truly.” This statement stands just as true for “Brave” as it did for his book series “A Song of Ice and Fire.”

All may seem fine and dandy with the portrayal of female characters, but unfortunately, the story attached to them isn’t quite what one might hope from the first female-centric Pixar film. “Brave” has more than a few flaws in its writing, specifically in just how much it feels like it’s missing.

An uneven screenplay leads to awkward pacing, making a movie that’s supposedly 100 minutes feel like an hour long experience – and not in a good way. The first act takes its sweet time giving us loveable characters and establishing an interesting tale, but the second act rushed through, and all issues, whether magical or not, find themselves solved in an all too convenient manner.

One might attribute this to the fact that Brenda Chapman, the original writer and director, was fired and replaced with the relatively inexperienced Mark Andrews, who also co-wrote this year’s major box-office travesty, “John Carter.” Chapman’s experience directing “The Prince of Egypt” and co-writing popular Disney films, like “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Lion King,” might have been a major help in shaping a more coherent story.

Regardless of a mediocre story, there are other positives to “Brave” aside from strong leading women. The voice acting work is stellar all around, especially from Kelly Macdonald, whose Scottish accent really blends with Merida, making us forget all about her character on “Boardwalk Empire.” Emma Thompson is as commanding as ever as Queen Elinor, while stars like Julie Walters, Billy Connolly and Craig Ferguson add to the fun and lively cast.

Above all else, Pixar’s visual work is what truly shines. The environments are based on real Scottish landmarks, painting an almost lifelike landscape for audiences. Great cinematography, lush scenery and wonderful character designs serve well to show how far Pixar’s technical work has come since “Toy Story.”

We can only hope that Pixar continues striving for the best in the future, providing us with even more new female role models, rather than focusing simply on animation and driving their “Cars” further into the ground. “Brave” may not be Pixar’s best feature, but impressive animation and a set of excellent female characters lifts it much higher than its subpar story does.

Rating: 3.5/5