Story

Set in medieval Scotland, Brave tells the story of Merida (voice of Kelly MacDonald), daughter of Queen Elinor (voice of Emma Thompson) and King Fergus (voice of Billy Connolly). The young Princess Merida likes to be outdoors horse-riding and shooting arrows. She doesn’t want to learn how to be a perfect princess. She is so feisty and rebellious that she tells Queen Elinor that she’d rather die than be like her.

Merida is horrified to learn that when she reaches a certain age, she is expected to choose a husband from one of the other royal families in the kingdom. She rides off into the woods rather than going through with this arrangement. There she finds an old witch. She begs the witch for help to make her mother change her mind. The solution that the witch comes up with is so awful that it takes all of Merida’s bravery to undo the witch’s curse.

Themes

Magic and witchcraft; family conflict

Violence

This movie has some violence. For example:

  • King Fergus shoots a grizzly bear with arrows. The bear fights back, and the King loses a leg (although the scene doesn’t show this).
  • A fight breaks out among three men who want to marry Merida. It turns into a brawl between all the rival clans. Merida’s three young brothers join the brawl and hit a man on the foot with a club.
  • The King is turned into a grizzly bear and attacks Elinor. He cuts Merida on the arms by mistake as she’s trying to protect her mother.
  • Elinor is caught and tied up with ropes. Merida has to fight off her father with a sword to stop him from killing her mother.
  • Elinor and the large grizzly bear fight each other. A falling stone kills the grizzly bear.

Sexual references

None of concern

Nudity and sexual activity

This movie has some nudity. For example, the clansmen appear without their kilts, showing their bare bottoms.

Product placement

None of concern

Coarse language

None of concern

Ideas to discuss with your children

Brave is an animated adventure set in medieval times. The story of a warrior princess will appeal to older children but is too scary for younger children. It’s made more intense by 3D effects.

The main messages from this movie are that your fate is up to you. You can change your destiny if you’re brave.

Values in this movie that you could reinforce with your children include:

  • a strong female lead character
  • courage and bravery
  • the ability to say you’ve made a mistake.

This movie could also give you the chance to talk with your children about real-life issues such as:

  • making rash decisions and having to deal with the consequences
  • rebelling against your parents and traditions.

Supported By

Raising Children Network is supported by the Australian Government. Member organisations are the Parenting Research Centre and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute with The Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Community Child Health.

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