It's a Pixar!

I never thought I’d be saying that I felt let down by a company I regard as one of the most innovative, exciting and consistent corporations out there. But here I am, saying just that.

Pixar is unassailable in making movies that are enjoyed on a thorough and genuine level by, dare I use the cliché, all ages. Toy Story has become quite simply a modern classic, Monsters Inc is the ultimate hangover watch whilst I’m sure I associate with no-one who wouldn’t gleefully recognise a Finding Nemo quote.

All great guys, but all guys!

Not only do I rate Pixar highly, but Brave itself was set to be brilliant: a ginger, Scottish, rebel princess! And a ‘brave’ film too. Firstly, for its female lead. I was a little taken-aback to notice how male-dominated their past films have been, with Woody and Buzz, Nemo and Flick, and that precious old grump from Up all hogging the show. Though Pixar have created some memorable female greats in their time, so great that they have managed to steal the show a couple times – I’m thinking Dory in Finding Nemo, Jessie in Toy Story 2 - they had never yet had a leading lady. Shameful really, when in the past few years Disney have really upped their heroine game, giving us self-sufficient, independent, feisty princesses. And secondly, this was a brave story in its lack of romantic storyline. This is far from something I regard as a cause of the film’s failure. I didn’t even register the ‘gap’ at the time. In fact, it is something I champion after so many past princesses have exchanged principles for princes. But these bold choices only make me more disappointed that the film was such a let-down.

It was like all the Pixar-ness had been sucked dry out. Their stamp was missing. The film was not funny, I was bursting with breath waiting simply for a laugh but the opportunity didn’t arise. Not even for a real chuckle. A snort. The normally unique and lovable characters were entirely missing. Protagonist Merida was, while justified in seeking independence over her life, overwhelmingly self-centred and, well, bratty. And the film was so overly sentimental it was saturated in the stuff! Preaching and droning on with zero subtly about family-love and relationships. Sentimentality works in Pixar when placed alongside originality and humour, not on its own. THIS IS NOT DISNEY.

The best part about the film was the soundtrack and scenery. There was obviously great passion and care put into capturing scenes of Scottish countryside and the result was quite stunning. But it should have been a compliment to a fun and engrossing story, and not the show-stealer to a dreary, predictable plot in which I couldn’t really care less whether the characters found their happy endings, whatever the hell these were, or fell down a well to be nibbled by Tasmanian devils. I need reasons to care, thanks.

I am going to be an optimist and regard this film as a blip in the life-cycle of an otherwise outstanding company. And I have to say, though I’ve seen some reviewers’ poor feelings on the pre feature short La Luna, I myself preferred it immensely to the feature: it was sweet and simple and rather lovely, and this gives me hope that somewhere in there, Pixar’s still got it! Now come back to us Pixie!