Set in the wild highlands of 10th-century Scotland, "Brave" tells the tale of Merida (Kelly Macdonald), a skilled archer and the free-spirited daughter of King Fergus and Queen Elinor. Determined to have control over her own fate, Merida breaks an age-old custom sacred to the rulers of the land and unleashes chaos in her kingdom. When she seeks help from an old and peculiar witch (Julie Walters), she is granted an ill-fated wish and her family is cursed. The ensuing misunderstandings and peril force Merida to undo the terrible spell herself while attempting to discover the true meaning of bravery. Boasting a strong voice cast that features Billy Connolly and Emma Thompson, "Brave" is also notably Pixar's first film to feature a female lead. Diana Ming
Directed by: Mark AndrewsWith: Thompson, Macdonald, Connolly, Walters95 minutesRated PG
With its spunky heroine, beautiful animation and rousing adventure story, "Brave" is a film filled with potential. Despite this promising combination, "Brave" sadly does not measure up to Pixar's best. While it is a fun and feel-good film that will surely please younger audiences, "Brave" proves to be conventional and far from inventive. Diana Ming
At its best, "Brave" features beautiful scenes of the red-headed protagonist Merida playing in the vast wilderness. "Brave" is a visual masterpiece, but the dialogue falls a little flat. Merida, whose life does not revolve finding a perfect prince, is a refreshing new princess in the mold of Katniss Everdeen fiercely independent and an example of how females should be portrayed. Felicia Schwartz
With a feisty, arrow-shooting heroine, "Brave" is a refreshing departure from the Disney princess trope. The computer animation gives a stunning view of the Scottish highlands, and the textures are beautifully rendered. While the premise is not nearly as clever or groundbreaking as Pixar's "Toy Story" or "Wall-E," "Brave" is an impressive start for Pixar's foray into the fairy tale genre. Katie Sinclair
