There should definitely be a lot of showbiz punditry surrounding Pixar’s Brave.
Being a big Pixar lover myself, I feel they’ve made some absolutely wonderful films that should stand the test of time for many generations to come.
Of course there are also those also some who feel the studio went Lucas with Cars 2, caring more about the toys than the movie. And with Pixar alum Andrew Stanton (writer of the classic Toy Story series, along with Monsters, Inc and Finding Nemo) directing the mega-flop John Carter, the Pixar brand name also suffered some collateral damage from the fall-out. (Stanton’s an executive producer on Brave).
So the first reviews are in on Brave, and what’s the verdict? Apparently Pixar played it safe this time. Variety tells us, “Though the studio brings its usual level of perfectionism and heart to the assignment, Brave seems a wee bit conventional by comparison with, say, how radically The Incredibles reinvented the superhero genre… The toon Brave most resembles is DreamWorks How to Train Your Dragon, offering the slipside of that pic’s sensitive-boy predicament in its adventure-seeking heroine.”
The Hollywood Reporter also made similar comments that Brave isn’t as adventurous or groundbreaking as previous Pixar flicks. As Todd McCarthy writes, “Pixar’s 13th feature plays it safe and old-fashioned rather than risky and adventurous.” While McCarthy feels Brave is “Visually stunning and strongly voiced, Brave might disappoint many ardent Pixar loyalists while simultaneously delighting old-time Disney fans.”
Yes, McCarthy continues, “Muscular box office is virtually a given,” but “the film’s emotional line and dramatic contrivances are both more familiar and less inventive than what’s usually delivered by the studio. Younger kids won’t mind, but many viewers accustomed to relying upon Pixar for something special will feel a sense of letdown due to the lack of adventurousness.”
And indeed like any other Pixar film, Brave should do incredibly well no matter what, bringing in a lot of families. But you also get the impression another knock-out from Pixar on the level of The Incredibles, Finding Nemo or Monsters Inc may still be a few movies away.
