BRAVE: DISNEY-PIXAR'S ENTHRALLING VISIT TO MEDIEVAL SCOTLAND

"Brave" is one of the latest animations Disney & Pixar have successfully co-produced. It's not only a treat to children of all ages but also a must for Scottish-culture buffs. The same happens time and time again with Disney productions: what should be kid-stuff ends up being enjoyed by people of all ages for different reasons.

The way the story goes
The film is the epic tale of a young medieval Caledonian red-headed princess who, upon being forced to do what she doesn't wish to, will become involved in an adventure as tangled as her fiery, flamboyant curls.

After turning to a wacky witch from the woods for help, she'll find things haven't turned out quite as expected. Merida, for that's her name, will thus have to race against the clock if she wants to undo her mischief and "mend the bond torn by pride."

Why should one give "Brave" a try with all those cute princess films out there?
Well, first and foremost because it's not a "cute princess" film. Seemingly, Disney princesses have been in accordance to the law of their times and embodied an ever-growing "girl power." Merida is not the typical prim and proper girl Aurora or Snow-white are. In this respect, Merida is closer to Mulan or even Pocahontas. She carries messy locks, climbs mountains, sprint-rides an ebony-black Clydesdale with snow-white muzzle and fetlocks, shoots arrows, puts her weapons on the table and hates corsets. Among others.

Secondly, it's the first time an animation film takes place in medieval Scottish land. A trifling reason though this may be, great pains have been taken to ensure that the environment is realistic and convincing. Of course it's all childish and cheesy, the most obvious elements being the characters' names and surnames, their clothes and their behaviour and their accent, and Queen Elinor's scolding her younger triplets not to play with their haggis. But the avid eye will notice some other details embedded in a casual, matter-of-fact way like some hairy cows walking around or even Angus - Merida's horse -, whose breed is originally from Scotland as well. These details would most certainly go unnoticed by children, but they are there. Why? Well, adults are also watching. Why, then, not make the film entertaining for them as well?

Let me not forget that this film was released in 3D, and probably intended to be seen that way given the awe-inspiring, vast landscapes the movie takes place in - and the way "the camera" soars around them. It's just so breathtaking! And I didn't even see it in 3D. And it was even a second choice. Best things come unexpectedly, or so they say...

 For music lovers this is also one good piece. Bagpipes pack the environment almost throughout, with the sung pieces sung by Scottish people too. Who could even consider buying the soundtrack of a Disney film? Well, I did with this one. And it's good value. Who would even conceive setting the main theme of a Disney film as a ringtone? Well, I did so with "Touch the sky" for a while. And I don't regret it. And, by the way, Celtic instrumentals prove highly advisable environment music when you're studying.

 Conclusion
A final word on the film: all I've been babbling about until now is just a couple of things I appreciated from the film. But that must not make us forget the ultimate goal of the film. It's for parents and children to share, enjoy and, possibly, derive a beautiful lesson from. Keeping this in mind, we can even be children again and cringe in our sofa at the sight of Mor'du and trip, as  bonnie lass Merida does, across the Highlands from love for her parents through anger and disappointment back to love.



  • Reese Witherspoon was originally announced as the voice of Princess Merida, but scheduling conflicts prevented from taking the role. Kelly Macdonald replaced her.
  • This film marks the first time a Pixar-produced film has a female protagonist. Princess Merida is also the first Pixar character to be included in the Disney Princess line.
  • This is the first Pixar film to be a period piece. 
  • The name Lord MacIntosh (or McIntosh) is a common Scottish surname, also the name of a well-known variety of apple. It is a reference to the Apple computer. Steve Jobswas a co-founder of Apple and played a big role in Pixar. The movie is dedicated to Jobs with this quote at the end credits: "Dedicated to the memory of Steve Jobs, our partner, mentor and friend". It is also a reference to the visual image of Merida being interrupted while trying to eat an apple by biting into it, which her mother considers unladylike, is repeated several times throughout the film.
  • The misunderstood dialogue that Young MacGuffin (voiced by Kevin McKidd) speaks is actually a form of Scottish dialect called the Doric that comes from the North East of Scotland and is spoken in Kevin McKidd's hometown of Elgin, Scotland. 
  • In literary terms a MacGuffin is a plot device, usually an object or a goal, that the protagonist is trying to get and the antagonist trying to prevent. The sons of Lord MacGuffin, Lord Dingwall, Lord MacIntosh, are ironically the exact opposite in that they are what Merida will do anything to do in order to avoid.
  • HIDDEN MICKEY: The belt that Queen Elinor wears in the first half of the movie forms a hidden Mickey when viewed from the front. You can see the distinct Mickey head and the two ears as connecting circles around her waist.

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