Brave
Director: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman, Steve Purcell
Cast: Kelly Macdonald, Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly, Julie Walters
From a studio that has such iconic and memorable films as “Toy Story”, “Finding Nemo”, and “Wall-e” in its wake, Pixar’s rendition of the movie, “Brave”, offers a unique perspective to the classic genre of fairy tales as it brings to life the story of Merida, a young Scottish princess who challenges the traditions of her people, and the expectations of her mother, in order to embrace her own fate.
The essence of what made Princess Merida such a strong character was not that she was beautiful, or that she had the ability to make a man fall in love with her instantaneously. Instead, this Scottish warrior princess stands out as unique because she relied on courage, integrity, and the strength of her own heart to define who she was. She not only embraced the warrior within her, but she also realized that she could stay true to who she was while also allowing herself to be the voice of compromise and inspiration for her people.
The Queen’s tapestry in the story carries a double meaning. When the tapestry breaks after an argument between Merida and her mother goes too far, the bond between mother and daughter is also severed. When Queen Elinor is magically transformed into a bear, mother and daughter must go on a journey, both physically and metaphorically, to heal the relationship between them. When Merida discovers a stone carving in an abandoned castle, the broken stone allows Merida to realize that in order to change her fate; she must first heal her relationship with her mother. When Merida realizes the true meaning of love, she is able to heal the broken tapestry and restore her mother's true identity.
One of the things that makes Brave so special is that the story illustrates a relationship which is rarely, if ever, entwined with the classic fairy tale genre; the relationship between the mother and daughter. The essence of their journey not only allows Merida to break from the expectations of her mother and trust in her own strength to save them both, but it also allows Queen Elinor to truly understand her daughter while also facing her own inner struggle not to surrender to the animal that she has become. In the end, they both realize that Merida truly is a princess, and can decide for herself when she is ready to find love instead of being forced into marriage just for the sake of tradition.
© 2013 – 2016 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.
Director: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman, Steve Purcell
Cast: Kelly Macdonald, Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly, Julie Walters
From a studio that has such iconic and memorable films as “Toy Story”, “Finding Nemo”, and “Wall-e” in its wake, Pixar’s rendition of the movie, “Brave”, offers a unique perspective to the classic genre of fairy tales as it brings to life the story of Merida, a young Scottish princess who challenges the traditions of her people, and the expectations of her mother, in order to embrace her own fate.
The essence of what made Princess Merida such a strong character was not that she was beautiful, or that she had the ability to make a man fall in love with her instantaneously. Instead, this Scottish warrior princess stands out as unique because she relied on courage, integrity, and the strength of her own heart to define who she was. She not only embraced the warrior within her, but she also realized that she could stay true to who she was while also allowing herself to be the voice of compromise and inspiration for her people.
The Queen’s tapestry in the story carries a double meaning. When the tapestry breaks after an argument between Merida and her mother goes too far, the bond between mother and daughter is also severed. When Queen Elinor is magically transformed into a bear, mother and daughter must go on a journey, both physically and metaphorically, to heal the relationship between them. When Merida discovers a stone carving in an abandoned castle, the broken stone allows Merida to realize that in order to change her fate; she must first heal her relationship with her mother. When Merida realizes the true meaning of love, she is able to heal the broken tapestry and restore her mother's true identity.
One of the things that makes Brave so special is that the story illustrates a relationship which is rarely, if ever, entwined with the classic fairy tale genre; the relationship between the mother and daughter. The essence of their journey not only allows Merida to break from the expectations of her mother and trust in her own strength to save them both, but it also allows Queen Elinor to truly understand her daughter while also facing her own inner struggle not to surrender to the animal that she has become. In the end, they both realize that Merida truly is a princess, and can decide for herself when she is ready to find love instead of being forced into marriage just for the sake of tradition.
© 2013 – 2016 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.