But that’s not to say Brave isn’t spectacular to look at: the expansive Scottish landscape, full of brown trees and green moss, is gorgeous – and after The Descent, Dog Soldiers and NEDs, a much-needed shot in the arm for the country’s tourist industry – while Merida’s hair has more life in one follicle than the entire cast of Happy Feet 2 (kudos to Pixar for discovering the digital equivalent of Herbal Essences).
It’s a surprisingly intimate thing to focus on in a big summer kids’ film. In the same way, she struggles with her mum at home, each of the women too stubborn to listen to each other between fights. So the pair bond over fishing in the lake. It groans, she shrugs, furniture gets broken. Merida and the sometimes-kind-sometimes-lethal beast try to understand each other. What follows is a study in miscommunication. Half an hour later, fleeing from a horde of male suitors, she winds up at a witch’s cottage, a decision that introduces another animal to the story: a bear. But three, and most importantly, she doesn’t have a sidekick. What sets Merida apart from most animated heroes, Pixar included? One, she’s a girl. And to top her off? An untrained barnet of bright red hair. She’s closer to Link from The Legend of Zelda than a Disney Princess. In place of a lute, she wields a bow and arrow. Where most princesses practice cross-stitch, Merida rides through the forest. That’s Queen Elinor (Thompson) speaking to Princess Merida (Macdonald), a wild child who wants to change her fate from one of fancy dresses, formal duties and fake smiles. “A lady does not place her weapon on the table.” Watch Brave online in the UK: Disney Life / Prime Video (Buy/Rent) / TalkTalk TV / Apple TV (iTunes) / Rakuten TV / Google Play Director: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman, Steve PurcellĬast: Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson
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