Though the plot is not the quest you might expect, it is still a touching story of a family coming together. Instead of revolving around an arduous journey, Brave focuses on the dynamic between Merida and her mother, and the ensuing disaster when the princess tries to use magic to artificially change her destiny to avoid marriage. Just a few minutes into the movie, it becomes clear that the film is more a coming of age and family drama than the epic adventure the trailer seemed to promise. However, by grounding itself in a 21st (and 20th) century problem, Brave loses some of its grandeur it could have achieved with a story set in the time of knights and witches. By framing the conflict between Merida and her mother as the central issue of the movie, Brave gives itself a premise to which most viewers can connect. It’s a classic setup to which most people can relate: The child wants to be free and control their own fate, while the parent is rooted in tradition and wants to keep the child in his or her proper place. But when her mother decides it’s time for Merida to wed a son from a rival clan, Merida panics and tries to escape her “fate.”

She brushes off her mother’s attempts to groom her into a perfect lady, instead preferring to create mischief with her three younger brothers. Merida’s only desires in life are to explore the countryside and practice her archery. Indeed, this dilemma becomes the central conflict of the story. I was curious how the character would walk the line between being an empowering female figure that girls could look up to in 2012 and remaining a princess in the 10th century. Even though the film is set in a Medieval Scottish castle, I didn’t think Merida would end up in the typical Disney princess damsel-in-distress role - she doesn’t. Since she is Pixar’s first female lead, I expected a lot from Merida. Meet Merida, a spunky, fiery-headed young princess, and the first female star of a Pixar film in the 17 years the studio has been making movies. Queen Elinor, King Fergus, Princess Merida and the triplets.ĭirected by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman Princess Merida demonstrates her superior archery skills.

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