Disney/Pixar’s “Brave” was released in 2012. The movie takes
place in Medieval Scotland and is centered around Clan Dunbroch. It tells the story
of Merida, who has to choose her future husband from the first-born sons of ally
clans. However, she hesitates to get married, despite legends telling the past with a similar situation.
Merida seeks to change her mother (Elinor) with the help of a witch, and immediately
wants to change her mother back. The story tells of this journey and the ins and outs
of their mother-daughter relationship.
The movie is Pixar’s first movie with a female protagonist.
It passes the Bechdel test. There are (at least) two female characters (Merida,
her mom, and the witch) who talk to each other about something other than a
man. Merida and her mom talk about relationships in the beginning when the clans
are summoned to compete for Merida’s hand in marriage, but by the end, they are
more focused on their relationship with each other. The witch talks to Merida about
Merida’s relationship with her mother.
As a female protagonist, Merida reigns supreme. Like Moana,
she is not interested in having a man save her. She does not even want marriage. Merida is a strong female character who is independent, smart, and
capable of taking care of herself. This movie is a great example for young
children, especially girls, to see a strong female lead character who is not
focused on getting married, which is unique compared to other Disney/Pixar
movies.
The movie touches on medieval Scottish marriage
arrangements. In the beginning, the first-born sons of other clans are
presented to compete for her hand in marriage. Inter-clan marriages helped
further the clans’ bloodline and had a say in the governance of the clans. This
is why the mother was upset when Merida did not want to get married. There was
a legend of a woman who, like Merida, did not want to get married and the clan ran
into problems.
“La Luna” is a bonus feature on the “Brave” DVD. It is a
short film by Enrico Casarosa. A boy, his father, and his grandfather go on a
midnight boat outing and they place an anchor on the full moon to sweep stars
off the surface of the moon. While it
was a lovely short film, it is not directly related to the movie.
“The Legend of Mordu” is also a bonus feature on the “Brave”
DVD. The witch of “Brave” tells the story of four sons who each represent a virtue.
The king dies, and the kingdom is divided between the sons. This upsets the
eldest son, and this leads to a war. The feature tells the tale of what happens
with the brothers. This is a great extension of the movie as it tells the witch’s
backstory.
Overall, this movie is grossly underrated. The music is phenomenal. The story of Merida’s relationship with her mother really touches on the complexities, struggles, and beauties associated with that relationship. Some spots are a bit violent and scary for really young viewers, but it is a great movie for older children.
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