Brave
Brave is a Pixar animated fantasy-adventure film set in the mystical Scottish Highlands. It follows the story of Princess Merida, a headstrong and skilled archer, who wishes to forge her own path rather than adhere to age-old traditions, particularly an arranged marriage. Her defiance inadvertently unleashes chaos upon her kingdom when she seeks magical intervention to change her mother, Queen Elinor. The film explores themes of family conflict, tradition versus individual desire, and the powerful bond between a mother and daughter as they work to reverse a beastly curse. The movie is generally suitable for older children and pre-teens due to its adventurous narrative and underlying messages about understanding and communication.
Concerns
Witchcraft & Occult
HighWitchcraft and occult themes are central to the plot of Brave. Merida directly seeks out an old witch to cast a spell that she believes will change her mother's mind. The witch provides a magical tart/potion that transforms Queen Elinor into a bear and Merida's triplet brothers into bear cubs. Additionally, mystical entities known as will-o'-the-wisps serve as supernatural guides.
Merida deliberately seeks out an eccentric old witch in the woods and requests a spell to alter her mother's actions and change her fate. The witch then conjures a magical tart that, when eaten by Queen Elinor, transforms her into a large grizzly bear. The triplet brothers also become bear cubs after eating some of the tart. Throughout the story, glowing blue will-o'-the-wisps appear to guide Merida to the witch and at other crucial moments, functioning as mystical forces rooted in Scottish folklore.
Scary & Intense Content
HighBrave contains numerous scary and intense scenes that may frighten younger children. The most prominent elements include the ferocious bear Mor'du, who is depicted as a large, aggressive threat, and the disturbing transformation of Merida's mother into a bear. This transformation leads to tense moments where Queen Elinor (as a bear) acts wildly, and Merida finds herself in perilous situations, including dark, creepy woods and a jump scare.
The grizzly bear Mor'du is a consistently terrifying presence, with loud roars and aggressive attacks, particularly when King Fergus recounts losing his leg to the bear and in later confrontations with Merida. Queen Elinor's transformation into a bear is a major source of tension, as she initially struggles with her new animal instincts, growling and snarling, which makes her a frightening figure to Merida and others. Merida experiences a frightening night in the dark, stormy woods with her bear-mother, trying to avoid capture, and later encounters a jump scare when she falls into Mor'du's dark cave.
Disrespect & Rebellion
HighDisrespect and rebellion are central themes in Brave, particularly demonstrated by Merida towards her mother, Queen Elinor. Merida openly defies tradition and her mother's wishes regarding her betrothal, leading to severe consequences. Her actions stem from a desire for independence and a rejection of expectations, which initially manifests as overt disrespect and selfishness.
Merida shows significant disrespect by openly defying her mother's plans for her arranged marriage, refusing to participate in the suitor's games, and declaring 'I'd rather die than be like her' to her mother during an argument. Her act of rebellion in slashing the family tapestry out of anger directly leads her to seek out the witch and trigger the curse on her mother. Merida's initial selfishness and pride in wanting to change her mother rather than understand her drives the core conflict of the film.
Violence
MediumBrave features moderate to intense violence, primarily involving bear attacks and clan skirmishes. While gore is minimal or off-screen, the intensity of these scenes, particularly those with the bear Mor'du, can be frightening and involve characters in peril. Battles among clans, though sometimes depicted humorously, still involve weapons and physical altercations.
King Fergus recounts losing a leg to the fierce grizzly bear Mor'du in a violent encounter, though the injury itself is not graphically shown. Later in the film, Queen Elinor, transformed into a bear, engages in a brutal fight with Mor'du, leading to Mor'du's death by a falling stone, an intense scene without explicit gore. Additionally, a large brawl breaks out among the three suitor clans, involving physical fighting with fists, kicks, and weapons like swords and arrows, sometimes portrayed in a comedic, slapstick style.
Substance Use
MediumThe film includes some depictions of alcohol consumption by adult characters in a social setting and the use of a magic 'potion.' King Fergus and other lords are seen drinking during feasts and a celebratory song. The witch's 'tart' acts as a magical substance with significant, though unintended, consequences.
During celebrations and gatherings of the clans, King Fergus and other lords engage in drinking, notably singing the 'Song of Mor'du,' which is described as a 'drinking song.' The entire central conflict of the film is initiated by the witch giving Merida a 'magic potion' in the form of a tart, which then transforms Queen Elinor upon consumption.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumWhile not explicitly anti-Christian, Brave's central reliance on pagan Scottish folklore, including witchcraft and mystical 'will-o'-the-wisps' guiding destiny, presents themes that may conflict with a Christian worldview. The narrative promotes changing fate through magical means, rather than relying on divine providence. However, some Christian reviewers also identify positive themes of reconciliation and repentance within the story.
The primary plot device involves Merida seeking and utilizing the services of a witch to cast a spell, which is a direct engagement with practices considered occult in Christianity. The 'will-o'-the-wisps' are presented as supernatural entities that lead characters to their destiny, suggesting a reliance on pagan mystical guidance rather than a Christian understanding of God's sovereign plan or discernment. Some Christian perspectives note that the film's themes of fate and destiny are 'not biblical' in their undertones, though it can still be a starting point for discussions on God's will and repentance.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
LowThe movie "Brave" does not feature any explicit or implied LGBTQ characters or themes. Discussions about Merida's character often highlight her independence and desire to avoid an arranged marriage, focusing on a mother-daughter relationship rather than a romantic one. This portrays a strong female protagonist who defies traditional gender roles by not needing a romantic suitor, but it does not delve into LGBTQ identity.
There are no confirmed LGBTQ characters or relationships in 'Brave'. Merida explicitly states her desire to remain single, telling her mother, 'I don't want to get married, I want to stay single and let my hair flow in the wind as I ride through the Glenn firing arrows into the sunset.' The narrative focuses on Merida's personal growth and her relationship with her mother, rather than romantic pursuits, diverging from typical princess tropes but without introducing LGBTQ content.
Romance and Sexual Content
LowRomantic and sexual content in Brave is minimal and non-explicit. The film intentionally shifts focus from a princess seeking a prince to a story about family bonds. There are brief instances of non-graphic, comedic nudity involving adult male characters, played for laughs rather than sexual implication.
The movie explicitly avoids traditional romance for its protagonist, Merida, who expresses a desire to remain single. In one scene, a clansman 'moons' another man by lifting his kilt, humorously exposing his bare bottom. Later, a group of clansmen are briefly shown with bare bottoms from behind after using their kilts to scale down a castle wall, again for comedic effect.
Profanity
LowReview sources indicate an absence of strong language, cursing, or questionable phrases in the movie 'Brave.' The dialogue remains clean and suitable for a wide audience, consistent with its PG rating.
Multiple parental reviews and content analyses explicitly state that they did not note any bad words, cursing, or questionable phrases in the movie.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Ages 10 and over. While rated PG, the film contains several intense and scary scenes, particularly involving large, fierce bears and magical transformations, which may be too frightening for children under 7. Parental guidance is recommended for children aged 7-9 due to these elements and themes of rebellion.
Additional Notes
Brave emphasizes themes of communication, understanding, and reconciliation within families. While Merida's initial rebellion is a key plot driver, the film ultimately highlights the importance of mending strained relationships and understanding another's perspective. The film is a standalone feature and does not have sequels or adaptations that alter its core content or themes.
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