Today’s Prayer Focus
Oscar®Oscar® Winner for Best Animated Feature Film
MOVIE REVIEW
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Brave

MPA Rating: PG for some scary action and rude humor.

Reviewed by: Laura Busch
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Average
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Kids Teens Family
Genre: Animation Action Adventure Family Fantasy Comedy 3D
Length: 1 hr. 40 min.
Year of Release: 2012
USA Release: June 22, 2012 (wide—3,000+ theaters)
DVD: November 13, 2012
Copyright, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Picturesclick photos to ENLARGE Copyright, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures Copyright, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures Copyright, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures Copyright, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures Copyright, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures Copyright, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures Copyright, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures Copyright, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures Copyright, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures
Relevant Issues
Copyright, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures

MARRIAGE—In the film, Merida is willing to do anything to avoid getting married. What does the Bible say about marriage?

FEMINIST WORLDVIEW—What does the Bible say about feminism and women’s lib?

Right and wrong

Is it better to follow your heart, or do what is right?

What is goodness?

How do I know what is right from wrong? Answer

What is sin?

Are we living in a moral Stone Age? Answer

humility versus pride

love

Witchcraft

witch and witchcraft

magic

curse


archer

bow

arrows

princess

ROYALTY of the Bible: kings / queens / princes

bravery, courage, self-sacrifice

wish

forgiveness of others

bear

horse

horseman

Teen Qs—Christian Answers for teenagers
Teens—Have questions? Find answers in our popular TeenQs section. Get answers to your questions about life, dating and much more.
Parenting and family Q&As
Featuring Kelly Macdonald … Merida (voice)
Billy Connolly … Fergus (voice)
Emma ThompsonElinor (voice)
Julie Walters … The Witch (voice)
Robbie Coltrane … Lord Dingwall (voice)
Kevin McKidd … Lord MacGuffin/Young MacGuffin (voice)
See all »
Director Mark Andrews
Brenda Chapman
Steve Purcell (co-director)
Producer Pixar Animation Studios
Walt Disney Pictures
See all »
Distributor Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures

“Change your fate.”

Disney Pixar’s newest heroine, Princess Merida (Kelly McDonald) has a spirit that is as fiery as her unruly red hair. Merida is expected to follow tradition and marry one of the young suitors, who are competing to win her hand in marriage. Her mother, Elinor (Emma Thompson) has spent years preparing Merida to take on her role as a princess and a lady. But the headstrong young Merida wants to choose her own path in life. Much to her mother’s dismay, Merida bucks tradition and shoots for her own hand in marriage, defeating her potential suitors in the archery competition. The last thing Merida wants is to become like her mother, a princess and a bride. After an ugly argument with her mother, Merida’s overwhelming desire to change her fate leads her to seek help from a witch. Merida asks the witch to sell her a spell that will cause her mother to change her mind about her inevitable betrothal. The witch grants Merida’s wish and casts a spell that will cause her mother to change, but the spell does not turn out as Merida expected, and unleashes a beastly curse on her mother. Merida and her mother must work together to reverse the beastly spell before it becomes permanent.

It’s no surprise that Pixar has produced a classic fairytale of its own. “Brave” is set in the beautiful backdrop of medieval Scotland. The Scottish highlands are brought to life by vivid and realistic animation and a lively soundtrack of bagpipe music composed by Patrick Doyle. “Brave” is Pixar’s first fairytale, and it is not like the studio’s previous films, which are more lightweight and colorful in their aesthetic, rather “Brave” stands on its own as an engaging, heartfelt, and often humorous fairytale.

Positive Elements

Merida and her mother face many of the same struggles and conflicts that mothers and daughters face every day. “Brave” does a good job of portraying the conflict, rebellion, and misunderstandings that arise between teen girls and their mother. These conflicts are handled in an appropriate manner that kids and parents will be able to relate to. Merida is headstrong, rebellious, and wants to make her own decisions, while Elinor is a loving mother who wants to do all she can to prepare her daughter for what she feels is the best path for her. Merida feels misunderstood, and Elinor becomes frustrated with her rebellious daughter. We see the negative consequences of Merida’s rebellion throughout the movie, while positive themes of love and forgiveness shine through in this tale.

This mother and daughter pair embark on a heartwarming and often humorous journey as they must work together to break the beastly spell that has been cast on Elinor. The witch tells them that the only way they can break the spell is for them to “mend the bond which pride has broken.”

The spiritual themes of fate and destiny are at the heart of this fairytale, and while theses themes are not dealt with from the Christian worldview, this movie could serve as an excellent conversation starter for parents to discuss God’s will with their children and help their kids understand that God has a wonderful plan for each of our lives. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” —Jeremiah 29:11.

Throughout the movie, Merida and Elinor grow as people and mend their strained relationship. Merida apologizes to her mother and learns from her mistakes. Elinor comes to better understand her spirited tomboy of a daughter, and Merida blossoms into a mature young woman, who now has a newfound respect and appreciation for all of the ideals that her mother has tried to instill in her. Ultimately, we see a very tender and heartfelt bond between a mother and daughter whose love for each other grow even deeper.

The importance of family is another theme that is present, and it is refreshing to see a positive portrayal of a nuclear family with both a mom and a dad, who love each and their children.

Elements of Concern

“Brave” has a more dark and more mature tone than its Pixar predecessors. Like most fairytales, magic plays an integral role in “Brave”’s central plot. The large role that magic plays in this story may be of concern to some parents. The witch, who casts the spell on Merida’s mother, stirs a bubbling cauldron, and the central themes of fate and destiny are embodied in glowing mystical apparitions known as ‘will-o’-the-wisps. Elinor tells Merida that the “wisps lead you to your fate.” These glowing wisps appear to Merida several times in the movie and light a path for her to follow. Merida looks to the wisps for direction, not God, but the scenes with the wisps could provide a good teaching moment for Christian parents to remind their kids that they should look to God and His Word for direction. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path” —Psalm 119:105.

As far as violence is concerned, there is a moderate amount—a fast paced chase or two, slapping, hitting, etc. Some of the violence is more slapstick, while other moments are more intense. For example, an angry mob of men ride off into the wilderness with their weapons to pursue a bear. As mentioned above, this film has a darker tone than other Pixar movies, therefore parents should know that there are some scenes that may be scary for younger children. For example, the scenes with the witch are a bit intense, and she is scary looking.

Other content that may be of concern to parents includes a scene where one of the men lifts up the back of his kilt to the other men and tells them, “feast your eyes.” In another scene, the men chase a bear to the top of the castle roof and get locked up there. It is implied that they take off their kilts and then tie them together to scale down the building. We see their bare bottoms from behind for a couple of seconds as they walk away from the castle. Merida’s younger triplet brothers run wild about the castle causing all sorts of trouble, with seemingly no consequence.

Overall, “Brave” is a charming fairytale that tells a warm and heartfelt mother-daughter story. Its emphasis on mother-daughter relationships and the story’s emphasis on the theme of destiny both make for good conversation starters about parent-child relationships and God’s will, therefore making “Brave” a good choice for a family movie night.

Violence: Moderate / Profanity: None / Sex/Nudity: Mild

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Positive
Positive—Our daughter just turned 17 and this movie was great timing. She is a great kid, but as our children grow and develop their own self image and sense of independence, it is challenging for both them and us as their parents. We have to dictate less and guide more. Our heavenly Father made us in His image, which includes a free will and the permission to use it to make our own decisions, whether they agree with God’s will or not. God sent us His Son to forgive us our wrongs, and He in turn sent us His Spirit to guide us through life’s choices. This movie was a great reminder of God, the Forgiver, and God, the Teacher, and the need for us as parents to be forgivers and teachers to our children.

I knew from the previews that this movie was not a “typical” Pixar production. I appreciate how the Pixar folks experiment with movie making while retaining their identity as excellent and thought-provoking storytellers. They have experimented before with “The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille,” and to some degree “Toy Story 3” (have you ever seen a better conversion of a sequel into a trilogy wrap-up, and 10 years later to boot?), so this movie’s uniqueness was not all that big of a surprise.

I have read and certainly understand the criticisms and concerns about the elements of witchcraft in this movie. When Merida first found the witch, I, myself, thought, “Uh-oh.” But then Merida turned to witchcraft because of the problems with her relationships with both parents. That is the real tragedy, and unfortunately it can and does really happen in our society. Obviously, Merida and her mother had problems, as Merida’s own developing goals and aspirations conflicted with her mother’s expectations for her daughter’s life, and their relationship had degenerated into a control struggle that overshadowed whatever love they had for each other.

Equally a problem, though, was her father’s avoidance of the issue (ironic given his being a hero to his people), always deferring to her mother or hoping the problem would take care of itself. Parents need to be actively involved in their kids’ lives, giving them both roots and wings. “Train up a child in the way he should go,” means giving our children principles, encouraging them to seek God’s path for them, and supporting them along that pursuit.

I was very glad the movie showed how Merida’s seeking witchcraft was a terrible choice, that only amplified her problems. That’s exactly what dabbling in false answers does in real life. In the end, Merida realized she already had what she needed to make her life better: the power and freedom to choose humility and love. Her mother learned a similar lesson, as her very proper and calculated life suddenly blew out of control, and she was forced to let go and find herself and her relationship with her daughter again.

It reminded me that “All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.” When we make bad decisions, God does not leave us to rot, but helps us through our predicaments, lovingly teaching us on the way. I found the Stonehenge-like monument in the movie to be harmless. It was used mainly for its Celtic/Scottish theme and was never portrayed as a place of pagan worship; rather, it was where reconciliation occurred as the characters repented of their foolish choices and instead made responsible and brave choices (hence the title). (Note that stone pillars weren’t a Celtic idea; the Bible describes a set of stone pillars Moses erected at the base of Mount Sinai in Exo. 24:4.)

I was a bit surprised at the negative comments about young children being frightened. This movie is rated PG for thematic violence. PG does mean parental guidance is suggested and some parts of the movie may be inappropriate for young children. If you take a child to a movie rated PG for thematic violence, the child probably will be scared at some point. We never took our daughter to a PG movie until she was almost 10, and we have always been careful to screen movie reviews, so she wouldn’t be exposed to material that was bad or that she was too young to understand.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Carl, age 44 (USA)
Positive—We went last night to take our two children ages 8 and 9. They both really enjoyed it and we all laughed through much of it. Afterward, over dinner, we discussed what we liked and disliked. What we disliked: We agreed there were a few inappropriate nudity parts that we felt could’ve been left out and, of course, the mysticism/witch we discussed with our children—but almost every Disney movie has a witch—and this one was not overly scary. My daughter thought the bear was scary, but my son loved it! What we liked: the movie had a great moral lesson about how pride can divide members of a family, and how a change of heart-humbleness-can repair relationships. Overall, we agreed this was a great family film with only a few questionable areas.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Cindy, age 30 (USA)
Positive—This movie was pretty great! Maybe not Pixar’s best, but not their worst, by far. I loved all the Scottish accents, and the animation was simply amazing.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Kadie Jo, age 20 (USA)
Positive—“Brave” was true Disney. As a mother of a teenage daughter, it hit close to home. I came away with a positive message and felt like I spent my money well. I liked the overall experience of the movie. This is one worth seeing. If you are against make-believe magic stories, you might find offense. If you don’t like animated behinds, you might be offended. I didn’t really care for the naked behinds, myself. Also, two scenes did scare some little kids that were in the theater.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Trina W, age 44 (USA)
Positive—We went to see “Brave” with another family and 5 children from ages 7-11. We all loved the movie. Great comedy, great heart, great animation, and great action. There is a witch in the movie that I am sure some might find offensive, but it is very similar to classic Disney movies like Snow White. The bear fights are pretty intense and will probably scare small children. During one of the bear scenes, I did see a girl probably around 4 or 5 get up and move to her Dad’s lap. Other than that, I cannot say anything negative about the movie. It is another great family movie from Pixar, much like “Finding Nemo,” “Toy Story,” “Up,” and the list goes on.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Brad, age 40 (USA)
Positive—I really enjoyed this movie and thought it was really well done. The tribute to Scottish culture and music is really nice, and I thought it had a very positive message. Was it perfect? No, there are a few slightly vulgar or inappropriate moments… rude humour, as in the rating. However, these moments are fleeting, and you might miss them, if you blink. There is a fair amount of violence, and I would not recommend it for smaller children.

The other concern for some Christian viewers would be the mysticism and magic contained in the film, which is significant. The behaviour of the children: Yes, the triplets are cute, but bratty, and really the main character, Merinda, is also not very well behaved, either. However, children who never do anything wrong lead to boring movies, and we tend not to learn as much from them. In this case, it shows how pride and selfishness can lead to breakdown in family relationships. Her mother the queen is very strict and wants her daughter to be a lady and settle down with a husband, and TomBoy Merinda wants no part of it and to be free to make her own decisions. It mirrors closely the types of struggles mothers and daughters face in everyday life. It supports family relationships and shows how important it is to mend conflicts and apologize to one another. Throughout the film, Merinda, sees how she has taken all that her mother has done for her, for granted. I thought the movie showed what was really important in a family… very good.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Kathy, age 52 (Canada)
Positive—Just came home after watching “Brave,” the animation is excellent, and the story is very entertaining and thought provoking, especially for mother daughter relationships. If you have issues with magic, it’s not for you or your children. However, it is not a Christian movie, it is a fairy tale, so it does have a witch, a spell and mystical imagery throughout, including Stonehenge. It also has a little bit of animation nudity—very innocent and very funny. Butt and I do mean butt you might be offended. There is a lot of humor and a very touching tale of reconciliation.

I liked what the reviewer said about how to use it to open discussion with your children regarding how God leads us and how the word of God is our plumb line and truth for life.

If you do not like things that deviate from the word, this movie is not for you. I loved it, but I’m not a child and cannot be deceived by this kind of storytelling, so parental guidance is suggested. P.S.—If you haven’t watched The Hope you should watch this with your family and get a wonderful overview of the Bible and its purpose. 10 stars for that movie.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Sharon, age 52 (USA)
Positive—Here’s the deal; it is NOT your usual Pixar. But I am not sure what the critics are looking for. My first thought (after how PRETTY I thought the movie was) was FINALLY, a movie where the mother DOESN’T die! Not to mention, Dad, the good ole” boy King, LOVES his wife! Guess not everyone has a daughter. The tightrope one may need to walk can also be the rope one hangs themself on-daily. “Grown up” choices have to be left to the grown children, but if parents do not present the choices the best they can, the variables and the absolutes, we are found lacking. Parents cannot dictate forever, but must be there-always.

This movie has a Mother and Daughter that BOTH make terrible choices in how they relate to each other. To say they come to an understanding is a huge understatement.

Scary moments are mostly animal related. Most Disney/Pixar movies have a witch of some sort. Thankfully, this one is not Ursula. Actually, she is not scary-might be considered an animal abuser with how she treats a poor crow though. The Wee Wisp, they are weird-those eyes! Leave the wisp in the show-lose the eyes. Possible *SPOILER* (Did you stop reading?) If not, ask yourself “What is the most dangerous animal in the woods?” Not the best of the year-but it beats most.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Dorell Proshek, age 52 (USA)
Positive—My “Better than average” means I don’t have a problem showing my kids at their age, but it is far different than most of the viewers better than average. My wife and I enjoyed this movie, though there were some boring moments. This is one of the few movies where the main character, who is supposed to learn a valuable lesson, actually does and seems to truly repent of her previous poor judgment. I suggest watching this movie with some warnings.

The angry bear, that they run into, is very angry and scary. The mother, who is turned into a bear, is still aware of who she is except for a couple moments when she becomes a dangerous true bear. She is very scary; even more so when you know she was the mother. The three little brothers turn into bears and have to get a key from a servant who hides it in her bosom. One of the bears is seen diving, then a flash of the cleavage, and the next thing you see is the bear holding up the key.

The men with no pants on was comical but they could have done it in a more appropriate way. The little brothers were naked from the rear in the end as well. I also don’t like the idea that a witch, using magic spells, helps to teach the main character a lesson and drive her to her destiny. Witchcraft is not of God, which I assume is one reason Saul banned them from Israel. This movie helps to skew those lines that, in my opinion, need to be very clear. See the movie, but talk to your children.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Chris Ransom, age 46 (USA)
Positive—This movie was great. Me and my husband… enjoyed it. Yes, there is a little bit of witchcraft in it, but only in a couple of scenes. God did say “Obey your mother and father”. She did get to bond with her mother, which was the best part of the movie, that I enjoyed. If you have not seen it yet, I recommend you go and see it for yourself, or rent it first.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
Julie, age 40 (USA)
Positive—When I went to this movie with my mother and little brother, I expected to be entertained. Instead, both my mother and I were moved to tears. Although the brief nudity, lack of respect for male figures, and witchcraft disturbed me, the message of the mother’s love and the daughter’s respect was very powerful. I think that this is an excellent movie for any preteen daughter to view with her mother. However, I do not think it is best for younger children. Overall, it was not Pixar’s best, but it still had a wonderful message at the heart of it.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Anna Meeds, age 21 (USA)
Positive—Positive except… I’m never a fan of witchcraft used in a movie (or any other case), but the story calls for magic and Marida can’t exactly ask a fairy godmother type character to change her mother for her selfish desires. And when the results turn out entirely different than what she hoped for, I think a lesson was learned by what can happen when you make a deal with a witch.

What I liked best about the movie is the quality of the film; from the acting (animation) and the production design, to the outstanding soundtrack. And ultimately how the mother/daughter relationship was resolved in the end. This is a terrific film for parents to teach their children about accepting things as they are not asking for what can never be. To say nothing of the dangers of dealing with witchcraft and so called “magic.” The parent could also use it as a segue to the miracles of Christ, the only source to go for to seek change.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Jeff, age 54 (USA)
Neutral
Neutral—The movie was a bit of a let down we thought (grandmother, daughter and granddaughter). My granddaughter put her hoodie up during some scary scenes and vocally admitted it was scary. The part that made her laugh the most was when one of the fathers lifted his kilt from the backside. I wish that wasn’t the reaction, but my daughter and I felt that was not necessary and were also offended when a large group of the men were wearing nothing from the waist down and their backsides were all exposed, also not necessary and offensive. It is our wish that the movie makers would not keep succumbing to nudity to get a laugh.

The movie was very loud and fast paced, it seemed, for quite a bit of the time. This made it seem cheap and not very content worthy. My 8 year old granddaughter was a bit confused with the ending regarding the prince bear. The overall concept of the main character standing up for herself was positive, she was at times disrespectful to her parents, but their overall love for each other was good. Also, the movie tended to demean the fathers. The men seemed to be intimidated by the queen, which I feel does not show deference to her husband and men, in general. This seems to be the dynamic these days, to show men as buffoons, which is not a good example for children. I usually would recommend Disney movies, but not sure I would this one.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
J.M., age 52 (USA)
Neutral—…I thought, for a Disney film, “Brave” was just okay, for me. It felt kinda slow at parts, and it wasn’t until the end, when the movie started to finally pick up. …The rear ends they showed in “Brave” were not shown in a sexual manner, at all. It was harmless humor. I get the anger people had with the girl that she went to a witch to deal with her mother. I can see that being the main thing that people would disagree with. I personally would not consider going to a witch to have my mother turned into a bear. Not my thing. In the end, the movie worked out. It turned out to be pretty decent, and I enjoyed the ending fight scene. I thought the girl they chose for the main character was perfect for the role. Loved her accent. Thanks!
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Marty, age 38 (USA)
Neutral—Overall, the movie was good. However, I do have a major concern about the nudity seen in this movie. I realize that it is minor, but I have to wonder if Disney/Pixar is riding this fine line now in 2012, what are we to expect in 2022? I take a look back to adult movies that started out with just a “bare butt” glance and look where we are today… nothing left to the imagination. I was raised in a Christian home where I was taught that only your spouse should be the one to see you naked. I guess time will only tell what Disney will have in store when my children have children of their own.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Peggiann Murphy, age 34 (USA)
Neutral—Hello Just went to see this movie with my husband. My husband and I couldn't follow alone with the movie, I am going to voice that you only see the witch 5 min. or 10 min., tops, it just like Snow White , have you seen snow white? I recommend middle school and up to go see the movie because it has some dark moments in the movie that younger children will not handle and understand. I do agree that it has witchcraft and other evil things in it but, I am shaming those that are judge Pixar and Disney and making them like an Evil company and saying Satan has the company. How dare you say that while the parents are the one that should explain what the content of the movie is. A lot of people separate and divorce fantasy to reality, and, when I was a kid, I had Snow White, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast and ETC when I was growing up and I have a full belief in God. I would say more stuff, but I wanted to say to be watchful with this movie, and again I recommend family put a PG-13 in your home instead of the PG rating because its not for children under middle school.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 5
Karrie, age 35 (USA)
Neutral—SPOILER ALERT! None of the other reviewers has discussed that the longer Elinor is a bear on the outside, the more she becomes a bear on the inside. I think that this is an excellent talking point for after the movie. In what ways does that parallel real life? After all, Jesus spent his time with the tax collectors, criminals, and prostitutes. At the same time, the environments that we put ourselves in and the influences that we surround ourselves with can start to seep into the way that we think and act, and who we are on the inside. If you are surrounded by profanity, profanity can start to sound normal. If you are surrounded by cheaters, cheating can seem like a normal routine.

I think it would be great to teach kids to ask themselves if they are becoming “bears”—internalizing negative attitudes and adopting destructive behaviors. If I had kids, that would be the post-movie discussion. See all »
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Ash, age 27 (USA)
Neutral—…“Brave” is an average movie, sadly it continues in the recent Pixar/Disney trend to be more violent then I would like. But unlike “Cars 2,” the target audience isn’t young children, so I can forgive them of this. The undertones are not biblical, but its story has a variety of biblical-like themes. Yes, it has bare bums (Oh, the humanity), and, yes, there are jokes about nothing being under the kilt, which is a kilt tradition. I don’t find this personally offensive, and I don’t know why it’s Biblically offensive. Let’s recall that David, the man God says was a man after God’s own heart, danced nude down the street and did some bad stuff like committing adultery, then sending the husband to his death to cover it up, yet God still claimed him as His own. Lustful thoughts, isn’t the aim of the cheeky bum showing scenes in this film.

…It’s not garbage, but it’s not great, either. Merida isn’t a terribly likable character, as she acts selfishly, eventually following fictional wisps to a witch (wisps seemed confused as to whether they were helping or hindering). Merida then begs the witch to make a potion to force her mother to agree with her. A cake is conjured up, the daughter lures her mother to eat it, not knowing its true consequences, and her mother transforms into a bear. The rest of the movie is slapstick comedy regarding their attempt to transform her and her three brothers back. So, to conclude, is it a family film? Yes! Is it a great film; it’s OK! Could it frighten children under 6? Yes! Will it lead you down a slippery slope? Ah… doesn’t everything lead us down the slope! Peace out!
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 3½
Ryan, age 37 (Canada)
Neutral——I was looking forward to seeing this movie. It started off great. Sweeping landscapes and forests, thick Scottish accents, Gaelic music, a red-haired tomboy and adventure! Then came the witchcraft. My spirit sank as Merida’s mother was turned into a bear under a witch’s spell, and the rest of the movie was about breaking the curse and restoring relationships. This movie could have been so much more, with a worthy storyline, but Pixar chose to incorporate witchcraft into the mix. I don’t think God pokes fun at witchcraft, although, perhaps, for example, the witch of Endor had the shock of her life when the real Samuel appeared before her! (1 Samuel 28:3-25).

I also wondered about the title of the movie. Apart from a speech before the clans and protecting her mother, I didn’t experience a lot of “brave” in Merida’s actions. She was headstrong and disobedient to her mother (listed of what people will be like in the last days —2 Tim 3), and she simply did what she had to do in order to break the curse she had got her mother into. Yet, perhaps, there is a lesson here, as we consider some of the great women of the Bible, like Abigail (1 Samuel 25), and Esther, who saw what had to be done and rose to the occasion.

As Christians, should “Brave” be exposed to children? The choice is yours. I give it a lukewarm recommendation. Flying brooms and knives, spells, dark forests and growling bears could scare younger children. Merida’s actions, along with her three naughty brother’s to a young mind could provoke rebellion.

On a positive note, children will be fascinated by the gorgeous animation and Pixar’s trademark humour, in this case a dig at Scottish culture. There is also enough content here to start spiritual conversations: Respect your father and mother; the Holy Spirit replaces will o” the wisps; God detests witchcraft and spells, because it leads down the wrong path (Deut 18:9-13 and Gal. 5:19-21), and King David trained on bears before he slew Goliath (1 Sam 17:34-37).

My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½

Martin C, age 42 (Australia)
Neutral—As a Brit, my opinion of this movie is decidedly mixed. Although many of the cast members were British, it’s a very Americanized and exaggerated representation of Scottish culture. Full of clichés and stereotypes about Scotland: red hair, kilts etcetera. To some extent, I think the exaggeration was meant to be funny, and there were moments in the film that were genuinely funny. On a simple level, it was an enjoyable kids flick, but it wasn’t a great movie.

As stated above, it fails on two levels: it’s not an accurate representation of Scottish culture or history. Stereotypes aside, there are some bizarre errors: such as Brown Bears in Scotland. Nuh-uh, brown bears are an American mammal: we did have bears in Britain at one point, but they were European Black bears.

Second: it annoyed me the way that this movie replaced all reference to Christianity, which was well established in Scotland by the 10th century, with some vague version of Celtic mythology/paganism. OK, include myth if you want to, but it’s becoming very common for movies like this to ignore the Christian heritage and history of Europe altogether.

The modern feminist overtones may also prove annoying for some viewers. These were to be expected, I guess, but they made Merida’s whole character into a cliché. Yeah, we get it: girls are just as good as boys, girls can fight, and ride and shoot arrows just as well as boys can. Girls should be in control of their own destiny, you don’t need a man to be happy.

I’ve no problem with strong female leads, but these messages and this kind of characterization are not so over-used that they have become boring, trite, and stale. The storyline is pretty simplistic apart from this: although the ending was nicer than might be expected.

So yeah: “Brave” is worth watching maybe with the kids on TV or on some free streaming service, but it’s hardly remarkable enough to warrant much else.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 3
English Lady, age 29 (United Kingdom)
Negative
Negative—I am a mother, and all I want is the best for my child… when did that become a crime? “Brave” is glorifying rebellion, and mysticism. Our “hero” and “villain”, Merida, has few endearing qualities. Merida contracts a witch to “change” her mother, and then, in such an evil and upfront way, gives her mother (what I would call) “poison”. After she poisons her mother, the rest of the movie is just a quest to fix her tremendous mistake. Merida (our hero, that is not a hero) is a spoiled selfish brat and, in the end, she still gets her way, despite all of the malice that she caused. I regret taking my child to see this movie. Let me say… there were things I liked about the movie, but, for me, the negative outweighed the positive.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Dana, age 37 (USA)
Negative—I have been an enthusiastic fan of most PIXAR movies, “Monsters Inc.,” “Toy Story,” “UP,” to name a few that I enjoyed. Unique and intelligent humor, good stories, and touching moments. I didn’t think it would happen this quickly, that Disney would turn PIXAR into another studio releasing questionable “entertainment” for kids. I believe “Brave” is the first PIXAR movie to be released with a PG rating, congrats Disney. The one studio that put out clean entertainment movies for kids is no more. Rear male nudity, continuous cleavage, 3 small children inserted for nothing more than to destroy things and show complete disregard for their parents, a heroine with minimal redeeming qualities, the overplayed Kilt raising scene, dark arts, parental disrespect, all brawn bumbling dad, strict misguided mother, all missing from PIXAR’s previous movies.

While the scenes and imagery were fantastic, the story was so caught up in a young girl having her way, at all costs, the only conclusion was to give into her and live happily ever after. I continuously question, why child focused entertainment is released with parental guidance warnings? As an adult I can enjoy any movie with clever humor. Yet to think studios believe I need to have questionable innuendos thrown in for my enjoyment, at the expense of my kids, are dead wrong.

Until parents quit spending their money on movies like this to entertain their children, this is all we will get. Unfortunately, they already received my money, you still have a vote with yours.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
David, age 46 (USA)
Negative—I had high hopes for this movie, but it left me disappointed. It was rather dark and scary and small children could be very scared. There is a witch with witchcraft and spells, and the mom gets turned into a bear, so, most of the movie, her husband is hunting her down trying to kill her. It is rather violent for a Disney movie, including fighting, punching and brawls, then there are two bears fighting, which gets extremely intense and can be scary for children. I loved the other parts of the movie, and it could have been so much better if they didn’t add all the craziness with spells and her mom being a bear and hunting her down. Too bad Disney had to go that route. I was hoping to love it, and animated movies are my favorite to watch.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Samantha, age 37 (USA)
Negative—I would have a serious problem giving anyone a positive “thumbs-up” to go see a movie with any witchcraft… I believe too many people gloss over the inclusion of witchcraft / magic and recommend a movie for kids (AND adults) and simply compromise. The LORD does not compromise His righteousness or His glory. Some may choose to disregard the warnings about witchcraft in the OT, as it is the “Law,” but refer to Galatians 5:19-21… it is clear about witchcraft. Please be discerning, and please be willing to say “no,” and protect yourself, your friends, and your family.
My Ratings: Moral rating: / Moviemaking quality:
Casey, age 47 (USA)
Negative—Parents Beware… Disney does it again. Dark humor, occult innuendos, and it almost seems like Disney is grooming this new generation with malice at such a young age. The technical film was great; that is where they entice you. But to teach a child to make a deal with a witch to have your mother changed is too much. Cleavage and little boys at a young age, again the malice. I can not in good conscience recommend this movie, because of occult undertones; yes Disney you are quite sly how you achieve this. We had to go through 20 minutes of trailer, which were pretty bad. Advertising “Paranormal…”, which scared the daylights out of the young kids. I am calling it for what it is. Don’t say I didn’t not warn you.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3½
Vicks, age 48 (USA)
Negative—I loved every Pixar film out there from “Toy Story” to “Finding Nemo.” I also loved every Princess story out there from the “Little Mermaid” to the “Paper Bag Princess.”

When I went to see “Brave” in theaters, I thought I was getting something quite epic but I was wrong. Instead of a smart and witty princess, all I got was a mean and whiny princess. She was too modern, too mean, and too tomboyish. What’s with Hollywood making movies about girls who are tomboys? What’s wrong with being a girly-girl? What’s wrong with making a movie about a girl who actually enjoys traditional feminine activities (playing with dolls, embroidery, painting, drawing, etc.)?

This movie along with “Turning Red,” was a disaster because like “Turning Red,” it showed me that Pixar is not very good at making heroines. Especially when it comes to making movies about mother-daughter relationships. Why is it that the Pixar heroes get to go on epic adventures and learn life lessons in friendship, family, and romance, along the way, while our Pixar heroines Merida and Mei Mei, get stuck with petty plots that have to do with puberty, unwanted marriages and mommy issues? The ending didn’t left me feeling satisfied; it left me thinking, ‘Merida doesn’t deserve to get everything she wanted; she deserved to be grounded or something!’

If you want a real good movie about mother and daughters, stick with either “Freaky Friday” (2003) or “When Marnie Was There.”
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
Farah, age 32 (USA)
Negative—I rated the moral aspect of this movie as “offensive” because it offends God. His word and judgments are very clearly understood, and I see a good deal of hypocrisy in recommending this movie simply because it can entertain us. We are sending our children a mixed message by letting them watch a movie that has a satanic thread running throughout. It is irresponsible. A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality:
Dana, age 50 (USA)
Negative—I am a Christian mom of two children. We went and saw this “Brave” at the drive-in for my sister’s birthday. We were very upset while watching this movie. My daughter of seven turned to me and said, I think this movie is bad, and my son of eleven said this movie is bad. It has a witch in it, that is talked about through the whole movie. If it had been my choice, the movie would have been turned off.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality:
Summer Stogner, age 33 (USA)
Negative—Before I started boycotting Disney in 2021, I was a BIG fan of Disney, and huge fan of Pixar. But I have to admit, Pixar is not very good at creating heroines; especially when it comes to girl-oriented movies like Turning Red and Brave. I mean, really! Why is that our Pixar heroes are allowed to go on epic adventures and along the way, learn life lessons in friendship (“Toy Story”), family (“Coco”), and romance (“Wall-E”), while the Pixar heroines are stuck in stories about lame and petty issues like puberty (“Turning Red”), unwanted marriages (“Brave”) and mommy issues (also “Turning Red” and “Brave”). Along with “Turning Red,” this movie, “Brave” was terrible. The princess was a total brat! I know she’s supposed to be a rebellious princess, but I thought she acted way too modern for someone who is supposed to be a princess from the medieval ages. She also acted way too modern for someone who lived in an era where arranged marriages are the norm. If you are going to make a movie that is supposed to be about our historical past, even if it is a fantasy, shouldn’t you study and keep the past people’s mentalities? In those days, Merida would have no choice but to go along with arranged marriages. Yes, it stunk but keep in mind that in those days, marriages weren’t about love, compassion, compatibility, or commitment. It was about politics and keeping kingdoms safe and running them well. So what was Merida’s issue? I understand that she was not ready but she could have told this to her mom instead of going in “I want my freedom!” crud. And if she just simply gave the three guys a chance, then maybe she wouldn’t find arranged marriage so bad. She’s lucky that she had three guys to choose from, Aurora from Sleeping Beauty was betrothed to Phillip and had no say in it! After Merida rebelled and got punished by her mother, she ran to a witch. I didn’t like that Merida tried to hurt her mother by asking witch to make a potion to changer her mother. I would never do that. Why couldn’t she just simply run away and learn how to find herself? Why couldn’t she go on some adventure to find someone (NOT a witch) to help her get out of the arranged marriage situation? The whole “I turned my Mom into a bear” nonsense didn’t connect well with the earlier scenes of the movie. I felt like I was watching to different movies going on, instead of one.

I hated that Merida never got punished. Other than being punished by her mother, we don’t see her suffering fatal consequences for breaking her family’s traditions. We also don’t see how she and her mother came to understand one another. And it looked she got away with everything. She can’t spend the rest of her life, riding her horse and shooting arrows; she has to become Queen someday whether married or single. Instead of a royal who realized that she was in the wrong, all I got was a bratty royal that got away with everything. Instead of a tale of a princess who learned how to be brave, all I got was a mean and disrespectful princess. Why couldn’t Pixar hire writers who are actually good at writing women? Why is Pixar so sexist? Hey, Pixar, how about a movie about a girl that actually loves her mother? How about a movie about a girl who learns to take accountability for her sins? How about a movie about a girl who is not a tomboy? How about a movie about a girl who actually wants to get married but has trouble finding a husband-not because she is shallow, but because there aren’t any good men?
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 3½
Anissa, age 33 (USA)
Negative—“Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” —1 Peter 1:16. This movie is extremely inappropriate, especially for children. Several people have mentioned the witchcraft, so I am not going to focus on that. There’s also a theme of disobedience and disrespect, but that’s not for this review, either. Instead I would like for parents to consider the subtle seeds this movie is planting.

There is an extreme focus on nudity, which I found very offensive. First, there were the men’s naked rear ends shown. Then I noticed they kept focusing on one character’s cleavage. Every time this character was shown, you noticed her bust line. Of course, eventually there was a “joke” made about it, as one of the kids jumped down her dress to retrieve something. Then one of the characters was naked… it wasn’t shown, but “I’m naked as a baby…” or something like that was said. Once again turning the focal point to nudity. Then the three little boys were also shown running naked with their backsides displayed. Do you see how children turn into teens, who turn into adults, who have impure thoughts and struggles with living a life of purity? It’s because seeds are planted and allowed to grow while people just ignore it, because they are desensitized to filth.

There is nothing redeeming about this movie. Don’t try to turn filth into righteousness. “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” —Matthew 5:8 (KJV). “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled” —Titus 1:15 (KJV).
My Ratings: Moral rating: Very Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Jennifer, age 28 (USA)
Negative—I have loved Pixar films. They have been some of the best in the industry, over the past 15 years. “Brave” is by far the worst film that Pixar has made. I was shocked that it: was such a violent movie, was so heavy on witchcraft, and had a thin story line. I do not recommend it. The film was way over the top for intensity and violence. The theater was packed with young children; I heard several crying at the end during the intense climatic scene. I do not agree with the reviewer’s rating of 5 stars nor with the light treatment she gave to the violence and witchcraft throughout the movie. Definitely not a movie for young children (which is surprising for Pixar).
My Ratings: Moral rating: Very Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
Mark, age 50 (USA)
Negative—How a “Christian” could sit through this movie is BEYOND ME! We walked out of this movie that PROMOTES rebellion, as her rebellion against her Mother leads her straight into the arms of a practicing Witch (folks… Witches are not fairytales… wake up!) This Witch proceeds to loose a curse on the girl’s Mother. Is anyone reading Deuteronomy and Leviticus forbidding the partaking of Witchcraft? Sitting your child down through this movie is as bad as teaching them rebellion against your parents is just ducky (fine) and its okay to consult a Witch for revenge or to get what YOU WANT at all costs.

Satan appears as light in this movie (wisps) that spark her carnal curiosity leading her into the Witch’s lair. This could not be more inappropriate and is 300% unacceptable. It’s time for the church to WAKE UP and take a stand for righteousness. If you can condone this movie as okay… then you need to check your lukewarm meter and study your Bible that in black and white forbids partaking in witchcraft and sorcery! Christians that walk into this movie thinking it is another great popular hit need to stand up for the truth and WALK OUT!!!…
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 1
Jamie, age 46 (USA)
Negative—I have seen this movie, and this movie is truly evil, and shows many things that the Word of God rejects; for example, God rejects magic and witches, magic is from the devil, why would we show it to kids. The devil uses Disney and Pixar as a pathway to destroy the future preachers, pastors and man and woman of God,… why, because kids are being influence by this demonic company.

Satan knows that if he can get the kids, then when they grow up, there won’t be pastors and women of God. Disney shows witchcraft, satanism, child pornography, and many other occult things. You see Satan works in the occult realm, he tries to hide and twist the truth to make it seem like it’s family entertainment. I know a lot of people will not believe this Word of God, but please listen because the coming of Christ is soon. See all »
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3½
Jessica, age 19 (USA)
Negative—Is same as “Brother Bear” movie. The queen turn into a bear. I know witch is evil. Disney did before this movie witches: Snow White and other Disney movies with witches in it.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 3
Thomas Dickensheets, age 51 (USA)
Negative—I read all the other negative comments and agree entirely. One thing I did not see within the other comments, however, was the underlying message of the whole movie. I found the message to be the worst part of it all. Yes, the witchcraft was incredibly bad and brought about a big teachable moment for my 7 year old. But the worst of it was… Merida was breaking away from tradition of doing marriage the way all her ancestors did, making way to “marry who you love”. I saw this as a sneaky way to bring in the message of “marrying who you love” whether it goes along with the ways of tradition, such as man and wife or not. They made her out to be an adorable tom-boy who defied anything girly and did not want to go along with the current traditions of marriage. Therefor she fought for her rights and won. Now she could “marry who she loved”. They did not in anyway say she loved another woman, but I do feel it was a way to condition our children to the idea of same sex marriage. UGH!
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3
Nicole, age 30 (USA)
Positive—For the comment about the underlying message about homosexuality in this film: I think there is such a thing called reading too far into the movie. That being said I LOVED this film. My mum and I both watched it and found it funny and heartfelt (Mum spent many years in Scotland and found this movie fun and sentimental to watch with the scenery and graphics that have become a staple of Pixar.)

The movie was less about the antics of a rebellious daughter and more about both a mother and daughter struggling to connect. In the end they BOTH had to change and they both learned hard lessons from each other that would have been impossible to learn on their own. At a certain age it becomes apparent that the child can teach his/her parents something new, but that does not mean that that child stops learning from his/her mother and father. Yes there is witchcraft but as the above comment stated this only multiplies Merida’s problems instead of solving them. Instead she has to fix her own mistake(s).
My Ratings: Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
Holli, age 21 (USA)
Negative—I was rather disappointed in this film. While the relationship between Merida and her mother, the understanding that develops between them, is sweet, I didn’t feel that the movie was as touching as “UP” or “Finding Nemo,” as endearing as the “Toy Story” trilogy, or as funny as “The Incredibles.” However, it is visually stunning, and the Scottish music is lovely, as is Kelly Macdonald’s brogue. It contains a “good” witch and some Celtic mythology, rude humor, and violent and scary situations. As such, I felt it pushed a few more boundaries than most other Pixar offerings.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
Sarah C., age 22 (USA)
Negative—In character with many movies made for younger people since the 90s, the men in this movie were portrayed as inept, clumsy, self righteous, less capable, and prone to violence, dogmatically traditional and… well ugly. Women, for the most part, were portrayed as struggling with a pitiful “patriarchal world” that they were born into. Today, this misandric feminist inspired theme is so common that it goes fully unnoticed.

Merida, in a sense, is fulfilling a feminist (and lesbian) fantasy throughout most of the movie. The warrior princess who is more capable than men, eschews the pitiful male suitors, views feminine gender roles as useless, protects the mother from the unknowing father and attacks him and wins in battle, Earth goddess themes… The message to young women is that it is OK to poison your mother, as she represents old world values, attack your father and exclaim in a sense that he is violent to the mother (reinforcing feminist propaganda regarding family violence), and denying the world of men—makes this movie and ugly drama not worthy of having any children see. Very tricky sub themes indeed.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Very Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
Peter, age 44 (USA)
Negative—This is assaultive, faux-feminist claptrap disguised as a family or coming-of-age movie. Aside from dealing (as has been mentioned) with witchcraft as a tool to use (ya just have to be more careful, right?), it states unequivocally that your fate is yours to master; God is clearly not sovereign (or even mentioned).

It also shows men and fathers as stupid, violent, childish and incompetent, with the “civilized” queen keeping them (barely) in control. Other messages are that kids are smarter that their parents, that a spoiled brat teenager should be able to do what she wants, including making decisions that cause wholesale mayhem, nearly getting her father to kill her mother, and everything will likely be sorted out with out any real consequences (Oh, and she gets her way too!).

Finally, a young girl should ignore the input and advice from her family and community, choosing a mate for “love”—which often as not turns out to be a lousy basis for marriage. Kind of puts most Christian values on their head.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3
Eric, age 61 (USA)
Negative—Dear Parents, I recently watched “Brave” and was highly disappointed and grieved in my Spirit by this movie. Not only did “Brave” incorporate witchcraft and spells, but it also had large amounts of underlying spiritual content. Mainly, the mini spirits that lead you to your destiny, or the wisps, bothered me all throughout the movie. They would appear to select individuals and, speaking in an unknown language, they would draw you to your destiny. This really grieved my Spirit, because I know that the Bible says that the Devil appears as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14) to try to mimic God, but in the end his main purpose is to “steal kill and destroy” (John 10:10), thus leading you away from God.

In this movie, the wisps eventually led the princess to a witch. Parents, this message is totally satanic. As we know, witches connect with demonic realm in order to cast spells and obtain power from Satan. We tend to overlook this given that Disney tries to make their witches seem friendly. Let me say this, there are no friendly witches when you are a friend of God. The Bible states that whosoever is a friend of the world is an enemy of a God (James 4:4). Therefore, the wisp, which lit up the path for the princess to follow was demonic given that she was led to a witch. See all »
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3½
Ni, age 20 (USA)
Negative—As an original Fairytale retelling, this could have been good. It really, really could, but it was blighted with many of the problems of modern movies—Political Correctness being the main one. Of course, Merida is a proto-feminist who is brilliant and fighting and riding and just as good as any boy and doesn’t want to marry if it isn’t for love, and wants to be independent and pursue her own happiness. Yada yada yada. Usual modern ideas.

Yes, there were some positive messages in the end, and things improved, but the whole overused theme gets so tiresome. Second, whilst the landscape is visually stunning, one gets the impression “Brave” is more what Americans think ancient Scotland was like then what actually was. Yeah, red hair and Kilts are a stereotype—and potatoes and Brown Bears (an American species) in 10th century Scotland? No. The most glaring omission, however, was any reference to Christianity. OK, so I don’t expect a children’s movie to be totally accurate, but I find it troubling that most movies set in Medieval Britain seem to consistently either vilify Christianity, or miss it out altogether.

By this time, Christianity was firmly established in Scotland—there were churches, monasteries and Bishops, gospel books and Scottish Saints. In this movie there is none of that, just some vague “magic.” OK, I geddit. Christianity is not PC—but really, a movie celebrating Scottish heritage which leaves out one of the foundational aspects of Medieval Scottish culture?
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 3½
English Lady, age 28 (United Kingdom)
Comments from young people
Negative—…there were a few things that most parents or guardians would not like in this movie. …there is a witch, two bears (the mother and Mordu), skeletons of fallen warriors, and, in some scenes, nudity. The witch: In “Brave,” the witch is shown stirring a cauldron (a big pot), talking to a talking bird, and pointing magical knives, hammers, mallets, cleavers, and machetes at Merida who then persuades the witch to make a spell to change Merida’s mother, so her fate will change. The bears: In the starting of the movie, when Merida is younger, is the first time you see Mordu. Even though you see Merida in the woods by a strange perspective it is still surprising when he jumps out to attack. He is about 15 feet tall on his hind legs, has many weapons implanted in him, especially his back with arrows, rugged fur, has evil glowing green eyes, yet one eye is dead, so they put a big scar on half his face and gives the impression that he eats Ferguse’s (Merida’s father's) leg. See all »
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4½
D'artagnan Elliott, age 12 (USA)
Positive—while it is darker and more violent than the other films Pixar made, it is still a pretty good movie, and for those that are complaining about the magic, it’s a fairy tale movie for crying out loud. Other fairy tale movies like “Tangled” and the “Shrek” films have some magic in them too, and it was only bad guys using it, and also in “Tangled,” the main villain was a witch, too.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Andrew Cade, age 16 (USA)
Positive—Once again, Pixar reveals their usual brilliance in movie-making quality and, at leas,t in my opinion, some wholesome family values. In keeping with their style, Pixar wrought a film of vibrant colors, spectacular animation, and superb voice-acting; as far as an animated movie goes, the quality could not have been higher. Any viewer who has seen and enjoyed films such as “Toy Story 3,” “How to Train Your Dragon” (yes, I know it’s not Pixar), or “Up” will not be disappointed.

Unlike certain other reviewers, I found a number of aspects of the plot to be both realistic, as well as downright supportive of the traditional conservative family values. For example, although the movie begins with tension between Merida and her mother, the two eventually learn to appreciate the other’s views, with Merida realizing she has been selfish to place her own needs above the kingdom and her mother, lamenting her attempt to force love upon Merida before she is ready (Song of Songs 8:4). See all »
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Hayden, age 16 (USA)
Positive—I am 15 and I went to see this movie today. I thought it was pretty good. I reckon the other Pixar films are better, though. I think it might be a bit scary for anyone under nine years of age, due to the loud noises of the approaching bears and the gnashing teeth and the cruel words Merida says to her mum, and there is a witch in it. In the movie, Merida does disrespect her Mum and rebel against her. Also, there was a witch in the movie, and I was worried that when the witch came on, the movie would be full of witchcraft and might damage my testimony. There isn’t much, the Witch just casts a spell and stuff. If there was anymore witchcraft, I might have found the movie objectionable, but, to be honest, I think it is a pretty cool movie. There are no Christian worldviews or points in it, but, all in all, it’s a pretty good movie for anyone 9 and over.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4
Melanie, age 15 (New Zealand)
Neutral—Before I start, I’d like to put it out there that, no matter how much we dislike the movie, Pixar has never truly made a “bad” movie, either in filmmaking quality or content. “Brave” is no exception; though it is darker than any of Pixar’s previous films, there is nothing truly evil about it. The magic in this movie is based on Irish mythology; Pixar isn’t trying to “corrupt” your child with the little blue balls of light.

But the realism of the whole movie, and its concept, is where it falls particularly flat. Pixar is known for their imagination and ingenuity, and has employed this in all their films—even “Cars 2.” “The Incredibles” is the closest thing to “realism” their audience has ever gotten, and that was about a family of superheroes. But “Brave”? “Brave” was TOO realistic—yes, there was magic, but it was based on real-life mythology, and it was painfully obvious that it tried to stay accurate throughout the entire movie. Where was Pixar’s imagination in this one?

And, then, there was that “Disney” vibe—not the Disney of old, with the princesses and talking animals, but the new Disney that employs horrible music, horrible acting, and tries so hard to attract teenage audiences that they employ words like “g-d-d-mn” just to get a PG-13 rating (“John Carter,” anyone?). That must be it—”Brave” seemed like anything BUT a Pixar film. It just didn’t work for me… or my sister… or the friend who had seen it with us.

P.S.—Do see the short film preceding “Brave,” however—it is probably one of my favorite Pixar shorts. I think it might be called “La Luna.” Definitely one of the more unusual and imaginative ones.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Audree, age 15 (USA)
Neutral—…I thought that it was a great movie. Yes, there was some nudity shown, which I understand brought a whole slew of negative reviews. As the oldest of six, it doesn’t seem as shocking with the movie, and I read the reviews as I do with all the movies I see, so I could also expect it. With the magic in several other movies such as “Tangled,” “Snow White…”, “Cinderella”… there was magic… With all the movies and TV shows, I was taught this is fake. If my parents saw me trying to copy that thing, I couldn’t watch those movies anymore. This movie is not for kids that get scared easily. My 6-year-old cousin could barely sit through the entire thing. Just know what the kid can sit through before taking them to this movie.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Sarah, age 11 (USA)
Neutral—Is Pixar losing there innocence? To begin with, this is the first PG rated Pixar film. It is also the first to have a story revolved around a mother-daughter relationship. For example, “Cars” and “A Bug’s Life” do not revolve around family relationships, however, “Finding Nemo” is similar in the way that it revolves around a father-son relationship. “Brave” is also the first Princess film centered around the princess growing up, instead of romantic relationships. There are some suitors that come to see Merida, and the young girl wants nothing to do with romance. She does rebel against her mother by refusing the suitors, visiting a witch to “change” her mother, calls her mother a beast, and falsely claims that her mother was never there for her. With the exception of rebellion, violence, magic, dark elements, and rear nudity this is an overall great film.

***SPOILER*** At the end of the film Merida does get her way, but she realizes that her mother that was always there for her, and her mother realizes what her daughter needed, and the mother focuses more on spending time with her daughter than teaching her daughter how to be a proper Princess. ***END SPOILER***

To answer the question, “Is Pixar losing their innocence?” No, Pixar has not lost it, but has just created a wonderful film that has a PG rating due to violence, only.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Elizabeth, age 14 (USA)
Positive—I thought this was a great film, and I really enjoyed it. It is a bit darker than previous Disney Pixar films, but once again, Disney made a great film. There are some scenes which would be scary for younger children, so parents of young children would probably want to see it first and then judge themselves, if it might be too scary for their young children. There was also a witch in the film, however, she is only in it for one scene, and, personally, I don’t think it was very objectionable. I really enjoyed this film when I went to see it, and I would see it again. I also thought that the technical quality was really good.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Connie, age 15 (United Kingdom)
Positive—This was a very good movie, it had a very good point of view, sure, it had witch-craft, spells, and magic, and things, but on the other hand I really enjoyed the movie, BRAVE is now one of my favorite family movies. I would totally watch it agian.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Lily, age 12 (USA)
Positive—I thought “Brave” was excellent. It has a great moral about respecting parents. It shows how Merida in the end humbles and dies to herself, when it comes to pride. The Bible says to live in harmony with others, and, in the end, Merida lives in harmony with her mother, because she is humbled. The mother turning into a bear stuff is just because it is a fairytale. And it is not scary. I watched it with two little girls, and they loved it. They kept seeing it multiple times. I know those girls well; they, like many other kids, can be scared by movies. But this one did not scare them. “Brave” actually taught me a lot about parent respect. Even if the writers were not Christians, it still surprisingly has many godly principals. The witch is only there because of the fairytale content.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
Claire Terhaar, age 13 (USA)
Neutral—“Brave” has great moviemaking effects. I’ve heard it took Pixar ages to develop Merida’s long, red, knotted hair! I also love the special effects with the moviemaking. Oh, and Merida’s Scottish accent is fabulous! However, there are a few things that I think should not belong in a child’s film. (Warning! This review may contain spoilers.)

One thing is Merida goes to a witch and asks her to ‘change’ her mother (Queen Elinor). The witch (who is portrayed very funny at times) gives her a pie with a spell in it which Merida gives to her mother. Her mother ‘changes’ into a bear and is hunted by Merida’s father in various parts of the movie. Something also you should know about is that Merida uses God’s name in vain when she rips her dress. Another problem is (buttock) nudity and cleavage. For an example, there is this maid with big breasts. Every time we see her come into a scene the camera zooms really close in at her cleavage. There is a scene also, in which she drops a key into her cleavage, and one of Merida’s brothers dives into her cleavage to retrieve it. A Scottish man in one scene lifts up the back of his kilt to some other men and says, “Feast your eyes!”. One of the men’s mouth drops, the other man faints. In another scene, a group of men are locked out at the top of a castle, and we see them later leaving the castle, kilt-less from the back and their buttocks are visible, even though the scene is taken in the dark. (It is implied that they tied their kilts together to climb down). Around the end, Merida’s little brothers and her mother are naked, though she is covered by a blanket, and we only see Merida’s brother’s buttocks.

Despite the objectionable things I have mentioned earlier, I think this is a great movie for kids older than five to watch with parent(s) and discuss afterward.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Hannah, age 12 (Australia)
Comments from non-viewers
Neutral—just seen the two minute trailer for “Brave.” Sadly, Meridan, the main character, takes the Lord’s name in vain when adjusting her dress before shooting the arrow that splits the other. Sad that now Christ is belittled in a cartoon. Just a sign of the times. Listen carefully, and you will hear.
David, age 52 (United Kingdom)
Neutral—I do not want to see this movie, because it looks unappealing to me and it is apparently senseless. However, a couple of comments called Disney “the work of the devil”. I understand Disney has done some immoral things and put them in the movies, but honestly, we need to PRAY for salvation for people who are involved with Disney, Disney fans, etc. The word “devil” comes from accuser and I see some people judging each other’s salvation over watching a movie. Rejecting Christ seals your eternity in hell, not watching a movie. Also, as a kid, I always listened to the magic-less morals from the movies (don’t lie, listen to your parents, don’t run from problems, etc.), rather than decide to consult with occultism. Also, I hear the girl regrets consulting a witch and rebelling. Under the logic of some of the people here, I am surprised there haven’t bonfires burning Bibles since David’s adultery-murder sin is just one of many sins committed by Biblical heroes recorded; you all know he repented right?
Peter, age 22 (USA)

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