A brave new animation

An inspiring tale about fighting for your own destiny, Disney’s newest animation Brave speaks to the heart of tots while using all the bells and whistles needed to get their attention.

Set in ancient Scotland, it follows the life of Merida—a flame-haired and fearless princess who is fighting with her mother about an impending marriage.

Merida (voiced by Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald) has little time for crafts, eloquence and any of the other pomp her mother is trying to teach her.

She would rather spend her days at her house, firing arrows at targets in the woods—a skill she has mastered.

So when three possible suitors arrive to win her hand, it causes a row between mother and daughter and leads Merida to do the unthinkable—seek the magic of a witch to change her destiny, namely her mother.

But has predicted, things go horribly wrong when the spell is not what Merida expects and a quest begins to undo the curse.

Can Merida restore peace before it is too late?

The film is wonderfully animated and magically enchanting. But beneath all the wow on screen, the story breaks through to even the youngest viewers. There is plenty of heart-pounding action, keeping the littlies on the edge of their seats, but I would warn parents of younger children (especially those under 4) to give it a miss.

It’s got loads of action and beasts that could scare youngsters.

Billy Connolly is great as King Fergus, with Emma Thompson joining him in the studio as Queen Elinor.

Another notable voice is Kevin McKidd, of Grey’s Anatomy fame, as Lord MacGuffin.

The thick Scottish accents made my children laugh—it’s not every day they watch a Disney production without an American setting.