7.3 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
The impetuous, tangle-haired Merida, though a daughter of royalty, would prefer to make her mark as a great archer. A clash of wills with her mother compels Merida to make a reckless choice, which unleashes unintended peril on her father’s kingdom and her mother’s life. Merida struggles with the unpredictable forces of nature, magic and a dark, ancient curse to set things right.
Starring: Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters, Robbie ColtraneFamily | 100% |
Adventure | 90% |
Animation | 84% |
Fantasy | 66% |
Comedy | 48% |
Coming of age | 6% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 MVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
French: Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (320 kbps)
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Five-disc set (3 BDs, 2 DVDs)
Digital copy (on disc)
DVD copy
Blu-ray 3D
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
There's no other explanation. Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar are having some sort of body-swapping Freaky Friday crisis. Disney Animation proper struggled throughout the Noughts: Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Treasure Planet, Brother Bear, Home on the Range, Chicken Little and Bolt all disappointed. Some were decent but underperformed, some weren't so decent and... underperformed. Pixar, though, dominated the animation market and awards circuit: Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Wall-E, Up and Toy Story 3 left audiences and critics clamoring for more instant classics. But with John Lasseter's promotion to chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation and Pixar Studios, the field began to level. Now it's Disney that's delivering the all-ages crowd pleasers and sharply tuned adventures -- The Princess and the Frog, Tangled, Winnie the Pooh and newcomer Wreck-It Ralph -- and Pixar that's suddenly and inexplicably floundering, first with Cars 2 and more recently with Brave. That's not to say Brave is a bad film. It isn't, not by any means. It's just slimmer, slighter and less satisfying than the Pixar greats of old, leaving one to wonder if the studio that Buzz and Woody built will ever be at the top of its game again.
"I want my freedom!"
Even when Brave left me firmly planted in my home theater, Pixar's stunning animation swept me away to lush highlands and misty forests unknown. Thankfully, Disney's 1080p/MVC-encoded video presentation is just as gorgeous, bringing Merida's world to breathtaking life and, in some ways, making her somewhat humble adventure grander and more satisfying on Blu-ray than it was on the big screen. The film's palette is nothing short of magical, with lavish reds, fiery oranges, lovely greens, disarming earthtones, bright blues and inky blacks, all delivered via perfect color and impeccable contrast. There isn't a hue off kilter, or a hair out of place for that matter. Detail is magnificent, capturing every nuance the animators saw fit to incorporate into their already jaw-dropping animation. Tattered kilt seams, tight tartan patterns, pinpoint freckles, scraggly beards, errant whiskers, shaggy manes, scuffed armor, knicked blades, matted fur, the smallest droplets of water, thinnest blades of grass, tiniest leafs on distant trees... nothing misses the mark. Edges are sharp and clean, fine textures are terrificly resolved, and the image is as pristine as they come. Moreover, I didn't notice any instances of macroblocking, aliasing, noise or other encoding eyesores, and banding was in incredibly short supply. (Almost to the point of declaring the presentation band-free, although I'd have to pore over the film a few more times to be sure.)
Brave's 3D experience doesn't disappoint either, and might just be the animated 3D presentation of the year. Depth is outstanding, with rolling hills and deep woods that retreat to the horizon, storms that extend into the distance, old ruins that loom overhead and wrap around our feisty heroine, vast castle halls and cramped torch-lit passageways create a convincing sense of space and scale, and every last trip beyond the castle walls is one filled with awe. Dimensionality follows suit, lending volume and free-spiritedness to Merida's untamed locks of hair, intimidating mass to Mor'Du's hulking frame, and a pleasing realism to the roundness of faces, the curve of hands and the delicate or not-so-delicate features of the animated characters. There also isn't any 3D-born aliasing or anomalies of note, and filmfans with displays prone to ghosting will only get hung up on a few shots (arrows and spears are a touch problematic, especially in wide shots of the Highland Games and scenes in which the clans are clamoring for war). Of course, none of that has anything to do with the technical quality of the encode and 3D experience, which remains on point throughout. Ultimately, Brave's 2D and 3D presentations are easily two of the year's best.
As if a masterclass video presentation wasn't enough, along comes Brave's Dolby TrueHD 7.1 surround track, which is quite simply one of Disney's best lossless mixes of the year. Even in the film's opening minutes, the quality of the experience becomes abundantly clear. The kindly invitations of an almost inaudible will-o'-the-wisp, the wind rustling the tops of the trees, the grass crunching beneath Merida's feet, the sudden deafening roar of a demon intruder, the weight of the girl's father charging into battle. There's little doubt that Brave's sonic prowess will be a show-stopper. It only gets better from there too as Merida strikes out beyond the castle grounds, into the wild wood and farther. The LFE channel, bold and boisterous as ever, remains undeterred and unhindered throughout, injecting heft and presence into any and every element that requires even the least bit of its support. The rear speakers, meanwhile, create a truly immersive soundfield that's more enveloping and involving than most I've heard. The forests alone are a directional wonderland, Dun Broch castle even more so. Effects careen around the room with precision and startling accuracy, pans are devilishly smooth and dynamics are impeccable. All in all, Brave sounds as good as it looks. Together, the film's video and audio presentations are so sublime that it's almost overwhelming. And I don't say that lightly.
Regardless of how you respond to Brave -- by most every account a lesser entry in the Pixar canon that still manages to outclass most animated films on the market -- its Blu-ray release will go down as one of the best of 2012. Its video presentation is stunning, its 3D experience equally so, its Dolby TrueHD 7.1 surround track is pitch perfect, and its supplemental package features a generous spread of extras that stretches across two Blu-ray discs. Is the film as wondrous as its BD release? Sadly no. Even so, children will be delighted with Brave's magical adventure, however slight it may be by Pixar standards.
Empty Case
2012
Collector's Edition
2012
32-Page Storybook
2012
Collector's Edition | With Angus Plush
2012
Collector's Edition | Spanish Version
2012
with Lunch Box
2012
Ultimate Collector's Edition
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
Disney100
2012
Disney100 Edition with Collectible Pin
2012
Ultimate Collector's Edition
2010
Collector's Edition
2013
50th Anniversary Edition
1963
2013
Anniversary Edition | The Signature Collection
1959
2016
Ultimate Collector's Edition
2016
Lenticular Faceplate
2012
2019
2008
Tinker Bell
2012
The Signature Collection | Ultimate Collector's Edition
1992
2010
2004
20th Anniversary Edition
2001
25th Anniversary Edition | The Signature Collection
1991
2013
2012
Diamond Edition
1953
2011