.jpg)
Merida, the protagonist from “Brave,” fulfills the promise of all the Disney films that came before her. “Brave” isn’t Pixar’s best film, and isn’t even as exciting as some of Disney’s other princess films, but the character of Merida and her relationship with her mother make up for all of that.
The story is familiar enough. Merida’s mother, Queen Elinor, wants to train Merida to be the perfect princess. She should act with decorum, keep her dresses clean, recite poetry in a clear voice, and carry herself with grace. Instead Merida wants to ride her horse, let her hair run wild, and most of all, practice her archery.
It me reminds of the opening of “Mulan.” As the story goes on, however, it meanders into “Little Mermaid” territory, with Merida encountering a witch and purchasing a spell from her that will change Elinor, and thus Merida’s fate. As one might guess, that doesn’t go so well for anyone involved. Hopefully one lesson Merida will learn from this experience is to be more specific with her requests.
But that doesn’t matter much to me; although I would have loved a movie with a stronger story all on its own, I’m willing to forgive its derivative moments because of what else “Brave” doesn’t have: a leading man. No prince or pauper destined to become one through marriage is present; Merida shows no interest in boys, rejects the prospect of marriage, and by the end of the film doesn’t have her mind changed by a dashing young man. She’s like Jasmine, only without Aladdin.
Instead, the two characters who grow and learn to love one another more through the course of the film are Merida and Elinor. They both have different ideas of what Merida’s future ought to contain, and have yelling matches over it without listening to the other’s concerns. Merida thinks that her mother wants to control her future and doesn’t care what she wants. While some of that is true she doesn’t or won’t even try to comprehend the complex political situation that’s fueling some of her mother’s decisions, or that her mother is teaching her only what she knows.
Merida doesn’t fight against an evil foe come to invade her land or even primarily against tension between different clans that have only recently seen peace. The main problem in the movie is of Merida’s own making and she must grow up a little in order to solve it. That makes for a story that lags a bit at times, but the message is worth it.
Modern viewers cheer at Merida’s stellar skill with a bow and decent wielding of a sword, but to save the day Merida must quell the quick temper that often leads her to reach for weapons to solve problems and instead employ some of the skills that her mother always tried to impart, to her resistance. The only way for Merida to save her family is to mend its relationships.
Cut through the humor and the magic and the story in “Brave” is about Merida and her mother. It’s about them learning to communicate with one another, respect the other’s opinion, and them joining together to craft a future that they both want. “Brave” is about listening and communicating, about taking charge of one’s destiny but not trampling over others in order to do it. It’s about growing up and accepting responsibility without completely sacrificing one’s self in order to do it. In the end, it’s about family.
Related Articles:
First Glimpse of Angelina Jolie’s Maleficent
A Study in Princesses: Rapunzel and Beyond
Exciting Upcoming Disney Films
Princess Sofia the First: Let’s Hope She’s the Last
*(This image by djrue is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.)
