After 'Wall-E and 'Up,' 'Brave' brings Pixar back down to earth with a back-to-basics, traditional, and wholly accessible yarn to which both kids and parents can easily relate. Though it surely doesn't rival the 'Toy Story' movies or 'Finding Nemo' for top Pixar honors, 'Brave' is nevertheless a vigorous, involving, and wholly entertaining family film that does the studio proud. Even the generic elements it does embrace are shaken up and given an appealing twist. 'Brave' is a breath of fresh air in the princess genre, a film that foregoes frilly dresses, saccharine songs, and gooey romance for action, thrills, and a seductive darkness. A roll-up-her-sleeves self-starter with contemporary ideas, a fiery spirit that matches her bushy red hair, plenty of backbone, and enviable athletic prowess, Princess Merida of 11th century Scotland is a force to be reckoned with, a modern lass trapped in a period setting, and with one hand tied behind her back, she could kick Cinderella's ass. Of course, one would hope any Pixar princess picture would stray far enough from the Disney mold to achieve a degree of integrity and individuality, and I'm happy to report the headstrong heroine of 'Brave' remains true to the Pixar brand by taking the role in a new and exciting direction. After all, princesses are as vital to Disney as ice cream is to apple pie, and though Pixar possessed a smattering of prior experience with young female royalty (remember Atta and Dot in 'A Bug's Life'?), it had never before allowed a princess - or for that matter a girl of any age - to dominate one of its films. Once Pixar joined the Disney family, any self-respecting movie buff knew it would only be a matter of time before the studio made a princess movie.
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