REVIEW - BRAVE

Coming off Cars 2, their worst film--both commercially and critically--Pixar probably had a bit of a chip on their shoulder. Now, I don’t think for a second that the now legendary animation studio made Cars 2 for any kind of “money grabbing” reasons; their consistent record and stance on quality above quantity proves that, but there is no denying that Cars 2 was a misfire. It didn’t really connect with critics or fans, and it did what no other Pixar film has done: it felt like a cartoon. You may say, “Well, it’s animated; what do you expect?” I’ll tell you what I expect: I expect what I know Pixar wants to give me: Brave.

The plot to Brave is a fairly simple one: Merida is a young princess who is coming into the age of marriage. Her mother, the Queen, has been preparing Merida for this day for her entire life, but Merida has no interest in this. That’s the catalyst for the story; what follows is a moving tale of adolescence meeting adulthood, and a meaningful exploration on the ideas of fate and destiny.

Leading up to its release, I’ve seen Brave described as Pixar’s take on the Disney princess story, but that isn’t what it is; that isn’t what it is, at all. If I had to go that route, I would more aptly describe Brave as Pixar’s take on the Studio Ghibli princess story. It’s dark, it’s grounded in reality, and it doesn’t pander to its audience. Beyond that, though, it’s best described as a Pixar fairy tale, as it is unmistakably a Pixar film; the animation brings you right to the brink of realism, but it doesn’t look so real that you forget you’re seeing a story. That’s absolutely Pixar; it’s the way they approach animation.

Speaking of the animation, you can see some real breakthrough stuff here. Just a few years ago, Merida’s hair alone would have been completely impossible, and I don’t doubt it actually was “impossible” when they began working on this film. On top of that, the animals in Brave are a revelation of animation. You can see the flex of the muscle structure that has been built underneath the fur, which is also of a texture that you can nearly feel. What’s more, the entire film is beautifully rendered, and the 3D projection is used in such a way that it subtly adds depth without becoming a distraction. I have nothing bad to say about the animation work of other animation studios; in fact, I’m glad the animation industry is thriving, right now, but Brave demonstrates that Pixar is still at the forefront of their field.

As with all Pixar films, story takes precedence over pageantry, which is why they never--never--use “celebrity” to sell their films. They choose actors who can play their part, and they don’t care if it’s Tom Hanks or Kelly MacDonald. With that said, the use of a largely Scottish cast is not without its advantages, and that only adds to the already impeccable authenticity that we’ve come to expect from Pixar.

Of course, there are other things Pixar fans have come to expect. Namely: John Ratzenberger (yes, he’s in there), the Pizza Planet truck (I wooden’t want to spoil it, but that’s in there, too), and the tradition of showing an animated short in front of the film. This time, that came in the form of La Luna, which premiered at the 2011 Annecy International Animated Film Festival and garnered an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Short Film. As John Lasseter has said, the short films are where Pixar likes to test out new animation techniques and new animators; indeed, Brave’s director Mark Andrews first directed the Pixar short film One Man Band. La Luna is a charming, almost dialogue-free story of a child’s first day at sea, in the family business--with his competitive father and grandfather. I don’t know for certain, but I would venture to guess that Pixar used La Luna to test out new animation lighting techniques. Overall, the short is a nice complement to Brave.

Did Pixar make a comeback after the Cars 2 stumble? Some might argue there was no need for a comeback. I would caution against calling it a comeback, as they have been here for years, but that’s just me. One thing is for certain: anyone foolish enough to believe Pixar needed to be worried simply needed to be reminded of just how Brave they really are.

-JOHN