Brave

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2:30

Brave

PG

Released Jun 22, 2012

1h 33m

Kids & Family

Adventure

Comedy

Animation

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Popcornmeter

78%

Tomatometer

254 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Merida (Kelly Macdonald), the impetuous but courageous daughter of Scottish King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), is a skilled archer who wants to carve out her own path in life. Her defiance of an age-old tradition angers the Highland lords and leads to chaos in the kingdom. Merida seeks help from an eccentric witch (Julie Walters), who grants her an ill-fated wish. Now, Merida must discover the true meaning of courage and undo a beastly curse before it's too late.

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Critics Consensus

Brave offers young audiences and fairy tale fans a rousing, funny fantasy adventure with a distaff twist and surprising depth.

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Rafer Guzman

Newsday

The main problem is that Merida craves adventure but Brave limits her to mother-daughter psychodrama.

Nov 18, 2013

Full Review

Richard Corliss

TIME Magazine

By the climax, at which all right-thinking viewers will have dissolved in a puddle of warm appreciation, the new Pixar film has earned two cheers and a big bear hug.

Nov 18, 2013

Full Review

Ben Sachs

Chicago Reader

The story for this revisionist fairy tale, which promotes contemporary attitudes about parenting and gender equality, is less inspired than usual for Pixar, but the movie upholds the studio's high standard of computer animation.

Nov 18, 2013

Full Review

Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Many daughters, young and old, can relate to this kind of story about the plans and expectations that their mothers have for them that differ from their own interests.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 18, 2024

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Merida becomes a rare kind of protagonist, whose lesson tells a rapt audience that defying customs is okay, as long as we take responsibility for our actions and consider the ones we love in the process.

Rated: 3.5/4

Oct 4, 2022

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

A powerful and relevant story wrapped up in gorgeous animation and one of the best soundtracks of the year.

Rated: 3.5/5

Aug 19, 2022

Full Review

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Leaburn O

Not funny, memorable, interesting in any way. Clearly a parable that is directly aimed against arranged marriage. I don’t think kids will even understand the concept outside of the sub continent. It was all just a bit dull and the plot was incredibly weak. Nothing I enjoyed about it and quite how it won an Oscar for best animation I have no idea. Must have been a particularly weak year. Watched on BluRay.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

06/22/25

Full Review

Abraham S

A princess movie, well it can't be that bad right? Yeah I hated this movie for all of the right reasons. It's boring, forgettable, emotionless, over all this is probably the worst pixar movie yeah yeah yeah fight me! I remember watching this movie and pulling up the progress bar and saying,."Much better."

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

05/29/25

Full Review

Nicholas B

Brave is a fantastic 4.5-star animated film that I truly admire. With its breathtaking animation, compelling story, and strong themes of independence and family, it delivers an emotional and visually stunning experience. Merida's journey of self-discovery and courage is inspiring, and the film’s unique blend of adventure and heartfelt moments makes it a standout Pixar gem.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/25/25

Full Review

Stephen C

LOL, the 12th winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Success in 1 hour and 33 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/19/25

Full Review

Kobi A

Yeah no this is worse than Happy Feet. It's dull, it's predictable, it's a complete embarrassment of a movie. Merida is the most unlikable Pixar protagonist and Disney princess by far, she never gets any comeuppance for turning her mother INTO A BEAR. I hate this movie so much that I don't even want to write about it anymore, it does not deserve a train of thought

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

05/07/25

Full Review

matthias s

**3 Stars – A Brave Little Tale That’s Easy to Forget** Finally gave *Brave* a rewatch after only catching it once way back when it came out—and honestly? It’s better than I remembered… just not *great*. The Scottish vibes are everything: the accent, the music, the lush world—it all feels fresh and cozy. The voice acting? Stellar. And yeah, there’s a decent amount of humor to keep things light. But even as a Disney fan, I gotta admit it doesn’t really feel like Pixar. It’s missing that emotional gut-punch or layered storytelling they usually ace. There’s a fun plot in here, sure, but some story threads felt like missed opportunities. Like, it could’ve gone deeper or hit harder, especially with that mother-daughter dynamic. Still, it’s a shame how underrated it is—people just kinda forget about *Brave*, and maybe that says it all. Solid, fun, but not legendary. Just... *fine with flair*.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/21/25

Full Review

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Mark Andrews

Director

Brenda Chapman

Director

Kelly Macdonald

Merida

Billy Connolly

Fergus

Emma Thompson

Elinor

Julie Walters

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Brave: 'The Prize' Trailer

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Brave: 'Families Legend' Trailer

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Brave: Trailer 1

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Brave: Teaser Trailer 1

1:05

Brave: Teaser Trailer - The Triplets

1:01

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Synopsis

Merida (Kelly Macdonald), the impetuous but courageous daughter of Scottish King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), is a skilled archer who wants to carve out her own path in life. Her defiance of an age-old tradition angers the Highland lords and leads to chaos in the kingdom. Merida seeks help from an eccentric witch (Julie Walters), who grants her an ill-fated wish. Now, Merida must discover the true meaning of courage and undo a beastly curse before it's too late.

Director: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman
Producer: Katherine Sarafian
Screenwriter: Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell, Brenda Chapman, Irene Mecchi
Distributor: Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney
Production Co: Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Studios
Rating: PG (Some Scary Action|Rude Humor)
Genre: Kids & Family, Adventure, Comedy, Animation
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 22, 2012, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 1, 2014
Runtime: 1h 33m
Sound Mix: Datasat, Dolby Atmos, Surround

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