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Brave

  • 2012
  • PG
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
462K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,845
Kelly Macdonald in Brave (2012)
Determined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Merida must rely on her bravery and her archery skills to undo a beastly curse.
Play trailer2:32
36 Videos
99+ Photos
Coming-of-AgeComputer AnimationFairy TaleQuestSword & SorceryTeen AdventureTeen FantasyActionAdventureAnimation

Determined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Merida must rely on her bravery and her archery skills to undo a ... Read allDetermined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Merida must rely on her bravery and her archery skills to undo a beastly curse.Determined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Merida must rely on her bravery and her archery skills to undo a beastly curse.

  • Directors
    • Mark Andrews
    • Brenda Chapman
    • Steve Purcell
  • Writers
    • Brenda Chapman
    • Mark Andrews
    • Steve Purcell
  • Stars
    • Kelly Macdonald
    • Billy Connolly
    • Emma Thompson
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    462K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,845
    • Directors
      • Mark Andrews
      • Brenda Chapman
      • Steve Purcell
    • Writers
      • Brenda Chapman
      • Mark Andrews
      • Steve Purcell
    • Stars
      • Kelly Macdonald
      • Billy Connolly
      • Emma Thompson
    • 606User reviews
    • 508Critic reviews
    • 69Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 20 wins & 48 nominations total

    Videos36

    Families Legend
    Trailer 2:32
    Families Legend
    No. 3
    Trailer 2:30
    No. 3
    No. 3
    Trailer 2:30
    No. 3
    No. 2
    Trailer 2:05
    No. 2
    Brave: Trailer #1
    Trailer 1:06
    Brave: Trailer #1
    Brave
    Trailer 1:38
    Brave
    "Fergus Shares a Legend"
    Clip 0:47
    "Fergus Shares a Legend"

    Photos224

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    + 220
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    Top cast15

    Edit
    Kelly Macdonald
    Kelly Macdonald
    • Merida
    • (voice)
    Billy Connolly
    Billy Connolly
    • Fergus
    • (voice)
    Emma Thompson
    Emma Thompson
    • Elinor
    • (voice)
    Julie Walters
    Julie Walters
    • The Witch
    • (voice)
    Robbie Coltrane
    Robbie Coltrane
    • Lord Dingwall
    • (voice)
    Kevin McKidd
    Kevin McKidd
    • Lord MacGuffin
    • (voice)
    • …
    Craig Ferguson
    Craig Ferguson
    • Lord Macintosh
    • (voice)
    Sally Kinghorn
    • Maudie
    • (voice)
    Eilidh Fraser
    • Maudie
    • (voice)
    Peigi Barker
    • Young Merida
    • (voice)
    Steven Cree
    Steven Cree
    • Young Macintosh
    • (voice)
    Steve Purcell
    Steve Purcell
    • The Crow
    • (voice)
    Callum O'Neill
    • Wee Dingwall
    • (voice)
    Patrick Doyle
    Patrick Doyle
    • Martin
    • (voice)
    John Ratzenberger
    John Ratzenberger
    • Gordon
    • (voice)
    • Directors
      • Mark Andrews
      • Brenda Chapman
      • Steve Purcell
    • Writers
      • Brenda Chapman
      • Mark Andrews
      • Steve Purcell
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews606

    7.1462.4K
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    Featured reviews

    8Loving_Silence

    A Visual Feast and a Solid Pixar Film

    Brave is a beautiful and moving new fairy tale that fits seamlessly into the genre; Princess Merida is a wonderfully multi-facted heroine; the film shapes itself around problems that are familiar and understandable and will be well-understood and appreciated by kiddos and parents alike; the supporting characters that are given the most attention are well-crafted (but too bad for those others that fall by the wayside). The visual effects are flawless, in my opinion, the best if all Pixar films.

    Brave is at its best when it's smartly and charmingly changing what we think think a Disney Princess can be, but it wavers when it tries to somehow reinvent the Pixar wheel. The film lacks the trademark Pixar wit we've come to expect from the animation studio's productions, and some humor feels shoe-horned in for the sake of having some laughs; the directorial kerfuffle that took place in the middle of production is not overwhelmingly obvious, but there is a distinct laugh of singular vision driving the film and its tone wavers throughout.

    It may not live up to the incredible standards of the Pixar brand, but Brave offers young audiences a lot of entertainment and adventure. Highly Recommended.

    8/10
    8cadillac20

    Another Great Pixar Film

    Brave is a film I've been looking forward to since I first laid eyes on it's beautiful trailer. It had everything a great Pixar film has: a wonderful setting, fantastic CGI, beautiful and interesting characters, and a lot of heart. In fact, Merida alone was such an interesting and adorable character, that it was instantly on my to watch list. Granted, this isn't Pixar's best, but that's holding it up to extremely high standards. As an animated film, however, this is a fantastic and fascinating film, a treat for the summer.

    Brave tells the story of the aforementioned Merida, a young, Scottish princess whose life is controlled by her mother so that she can be shaped into a queen someday over the surrounding tribes. In an effort to change her fate and be free of her oppressive, but loving mother, she attempts to change her fate, and in the process makes a huge mistake. I won't get into plot details, as the trailer really doesn't give a lot away in terms of what this film is really about, but suffice to say, there is plenty of fun and adventure to be had.

    Pixar always manages to create an interesting and unique tale, and this goes right up there with the best of them. Using the Scottish highlands is both an inspiring choice and allows them to craft a beautiful film. With sweeping mountains, water, and thick and colorful forests, this is one of Pixar's best looking films to date. It trumps the jungles of UP and even the magical underwater world of Finding Nemo. There is a certain amount of magic in the environments alone, and gazing on it is a wonder. The characters are also fantastic. Merida is a wonderful addition to Disney's princess lineup, and unlike those others, she is no damsel in distress. She, like her mother, is perfectly capable of handling herself, with her trusty archery skills and even tackles a few dangerous situations on her own instead of having someone there to save her. In fact, this could be seen as an inverse, as Merida actually becomes a hero in many ways and triumphs over the males in her own age bracket. Also of note is Billy Connolly, voicing Fergus, who lends his comedic chops to create a wonderful and likable character.

    While this film may not be up there with Pixar's best, it still has a wonderful story and character interaction. Merida's relationship with her family feels genuine and most children will probably be able to relate. At the heart of the story is her relationship with her mother. This is more than a story about fate, but a story about obligations to family and how growing up means taking responsibility and putting away childish selfishness in place of those responsibilities. Although the core plot is unconventional and unexpected, it has a fantastic heart and once again proves that Pixar can tell a story like no other.

    Brave is an entertaining, humorous, and heartfelt story that will be wonderful for kids and adults alike. Merida is a wonderful new character and the entire film looks beautiful. Even if you don't have children, I recommend this film if you've loved other Pixar's before it.
    7jeev7882

    A Brave New Film From Pixar

    There's quite a bit about Brave that has marked it as a departure from Pixar's typical fare. The most memorable trailer was one of the best scenes from the movie, with Merida protesting her marriage by shooting for her own hand. That scene alone showcases the detail and quality of animation we've come to expect from Pixar. No other studio has managed to come near what they do. The motion of the characters is natural. Merida's gorgeous curly red hair is distracting in its details only at the perfect times. And, most impressively, when Merida holds her breath to shoot her last arrow the audience holds its collective breath as we watch her arrow shoot away in slow motion and in a beautiful use of depth of field that reminds us why 2D is still highly preferred to 3D.

    That's not to say Brave is quite as visually astonishing as Sully's fur in Monsters Inc., the magical underwater world of Finding Nemo, or a landfill laden Earth in Wall-E. But, in some ways, it's not meant to be. We're dealing with a primarily human cast for once, and ones meant to look very different than the ones in Up.

    Beyond the animation, the story is somewhat flat. The trailers do an excellent job of concealing the twists, but the twists are all easy to see well ahead of time. The story revolves around Princess Merida who is continually at odds with her Mother, Elinor. At the center of their arguments: marriage. Merida is to be married to the first born of one of the leaders of the other three clans. She'll have none of it as she'd much rather ride off on her own and perfect her archery skills than sit at home and be a proper Princess. In her more childish qualities, she's like her father: an overgrown warrior child who also happens to be King. It's not a bad story, but it's certainly a little too basic. Most people will most likely find the lack of creativity in the script's details the biggest disappointment in Brave. There's no moments where we marvel "how did these guys come up with this?"

    It's a pity because Merida is one of the best protagonists Pixar has been blessed with. She's likable and hate-able in all the right ways. She has quite a bit of bratty teenager in her - as evidenced by the lack of morality she displays in trying to change her mother's mind about her upcoming betrothal - and yet heaps of bravery - as she shows when confronted with what she's done to her Mother. The best part about Merida and the story is that she's the one continually driving it forward and making the choices. That proves vital as the film doesn't really have a villain. This isn't a good vs. evil battle like all their other movies not named Finding Nemo.

    Brave falls somewhere in the middle for Pixar. It's great that it's original (especially with Pixar selling out and giving us Monster's Inc. 2 and Toy Story 4 shortly), it's great the protagonist is female and so well rounded, and it's great the animation is somewhat subdued for once. I can't help but feel that Brave lacks some of the magic and creativity that really separate the upper echelon of Pixar's best work from the rest of it. Of course, that'll still probably be enough to make it the best animated movie of the year.

    For more reviews like this one as well as other movie musings, go to http://thethreeacts.wordpress.com/
    7planktonrules

    The CGI was incredible!

    While I must admit that "Brave" is not among my favorite Pixar films, I was totally blown away by the computer graphics. To some extent this is to be expected--as years pass, the CGI is bound to get better and better. But it's more than that--the textures, colors and depth were all incredible and I was in love with the animation throughout.

    As far as the story goes, it was a mixed bag. While I was thrilled to see a Pixar film with female leads AND featuring a mother-daughter relationship, the story itself seemed a bit shallow and flat. It wasn't bad, but never hit that emotional spot within that you'd find in "Up" or "Toy Story 3". Now this isn't to say it's bad---it just isn't among the very best of the studio and is STILL well worth seeing. It's especially nice to see a FEMALE protagonist--and one who does NOT need to be rescued by a prince! Incidentally, my daughter and her friend loved the film--and my bet is that girls would generally prefer this film but it's a lot of fun for everyone.

    By the way, there is a cute inside joke in the film in which they mention someone being out of town at the "Wicker Man" ceremony! This could be a reference to the wonderful 1970s film (see this one--not the remake) or to the actual ancient ceremony. I actually had no idea that this was a real event until dlwagner sent me an email informing me of this--but I certainly did NOT expect to hear them talking about it in "Brave".
    7auuwws

    Brave

    Nice movie, not the best Pixar movie, but I really enjoyed watching it. Merida was a good character. Her relationship with her mother was excellent. The message of the film was excellent.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Kevin McKidd was particularly happy to work on this project because it was the first time in years that he'd been able to use his natural Scottish accent in a movie.
    • Goofs
      (at around 7 mins) When Merida hops on her horse and takes her "day off" she is wearing a royal blue dress. However, when she climbs the rock next to the falls, and on the top of the rock, her dress is dark green. When she goes back home, she is wearing a blue dress again.
    • Quotes

      Princess Merida: [last lines; narrating] There are those who say fate is something beyond our command. That destiny is not our own, but I know better. Our fate lives within us, you only have to be brave enough to see it.

    • Crazy credits
      When Mor'du is killed towards the end of the film he turns into a will o' the wisp and we realise that they are the spirits of the dead. During the credits a will o' the wisp appears over the credit "dedicated with love and gratitude to Steve Jobs, our partner, mentor and friend."
    • Connections
      Featured in AniMat's Reviews: Cars 2 (2011)
    • Soundtracks
      Noble Maiden Fair
      Music by Patrick Doyle

      Lyrics by Patrick Neil Doyle

      Performed by Emma Thompson and Peigi Barker

      Gaelic translation by Donald MacLeod

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    FAQ22

    • How long is Brave?Powered by Alexa
    • Is 'Brave' based on a book?
    • Is there an extra scene during or after the end credits?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 22, 2012 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Japan
      • United Kingdom
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Valiente
    • Filming locations
      • Emeryville, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Walt Disney Pictures
      • Pixar Animation Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $185,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $237,283,207
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $66,323,594
      • Jun 24, 2012
    • Gross worldwide
      • $538,983,207
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 33 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Atmos
      • Datasat
      • Dolby Surround 7.1
      • SDDS
      • Dolby Digital
      • D-Cinema 96kHz Dolby Surround 7.1
      • D-Cinema 48kHz Dolby Surround 7.1
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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