More Pixar movies than you'd expect had pretty troubled productions - Ratatouille is one in particular that nearly would up in the waste bin - but none have that behind-the-scenes conflict show as much on screen than Brave. Brenda Chapman left the project well into production, leaving Mark Andrews to pick up the pieces. As a result, it is essentially two films. One is medieval family drama about growing up and a woman's place in a patriarchal society, while the other is a high fantasy adventure with action and magic aplenty. Both of those respective sides are nice and do compliment each other at points, but never quite gel as a greater whole. Narrative inconsistencies aside (you get the feeling the woodcarving witch was originally meant to be in more than a single scene), however, the film's a solid watch. The representation of Scotland looks incredible, and not just because of Pixar's typically excellent rendering - the landscapes are vast and never dip too far into generic Highland clichés - while the narrative serves as an unfussed subversion of parent company Disney's princess obsession. In that vein, the real strength is Merida. Much was made upon release about how she was Pixar's first female lead and the film doesn't squander that, exploring the oft-ignored (in animation at least) mother-daughter relationship and adding an extra layer to the studio's traditional coming-of-age tale.
