Brave (2012)
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A rebellious princess must find a way to break a magical curse after her mother is transformed into a bear.
The story
Set in the highlands of Scotland, the film tells the story of Princess Merida of DunBroch who defies an age-old custom, causing chaos in the kingdom by expressing the desire not to be betrothed. When Queen Elinor, her mother, is turned into a bear, Merida must look within herself and find the key to saving the kingdom. The story follows Merida as she navigates the consequences of her actions and the magical complications of her mother's transformation in a land of ancient legends and mystical wisps.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In Medieval Scotland, Princess Merida celebrates her birthday and receives a bow and arrow, much to her mother Queen Elinor's dismay. After a confrontation over Merida's refusal to be betrothed, Merida's actions lead to a magical mishap where Elinor is transformed into a bear. Merida seeks help from a witch, but the situation becomes dire as a deadline to break the spell approaches. Accompanied by her brothers, Merida journeys to find a way to reverse the transformation while facing the threat of a demonic bear, Mor'du. Along the way, they discover the truth of Mor'du's past. Merida eventually repairs a damaged family tapestry, which is the key to breaking the spell. The film ends with the resolution of the curse, the defeat of Mor'du, and a new understanding between Merida and her mother.
- Original title
- The Bear and the Bow
- First release year
- 2012
- Runtime (minutes)
- 93
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Mark Andrews; Brenda Chapman
- Writers
- Mark Andrews · screenplay; Brenda Chapman · screenplay; Steve Purcell · screenplay; Irene Mecchi · screenplay; Brenda Chapman · story
- Cast and characters
- Kelly Macdonald · Merida; Emma Thompson · Queen Elinor; Billy Connolly · King Fergus; Julie Walters · the Witch; Robbie Coltrane · Lord Dingwall; Kevin McKidd · Lord MacGuffin and Young MacGuffin; Craig Ferguson · Lord Macintosh
- Genres
- animated; fantasy; adventure
- Themes
- mother-daughter relationships; independence; tradition vs. individuality
- Tone and mood
- fantasy; epic
- Premise and plot tags
- coming-of-age; fairy tale; mythology
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews and was a box office success.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 69 · scale: 100 · review count: 37; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Animated Feature Film · Win; Golden Globe · Best Animated Feature Film · Win; BAFTA Award · Best Animated Feature Film · Win
- Production trivia
- It was Pixar's first film with a female protagonist.; It was the first film to use the Dolby Atmos sound format.; The film was originally titled 'The Bear and the Bow'.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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