The last few summer movie seasons have only offered Pixar sequels (Toy Story 3 and Cars 2) but in the summer of 2012, the revered animation studio is going to be getting back to what it arguably does best: providing audiences of all ages with smart, fun, imaginative original stories – this time in the form of their celtic princess tale, Brave.
Today, we have the official Brave trailer to share, and it looks like yet another solid entry into Pixar’s long track record of accomplishments.
The story of Brave is a mix of coming-of-age wisdom, magic, and epic adventure, as detailed in the official synopsis below:
Brave is set in the mystical Scottish Highlands, where Merida (Kelly Macdonald of Boardwalk Empire fame) is the princess of a kingdom ruled by King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). An unruly daughter and an accomplished archer, Merida one day defies a sacred custom of the land and inadvertently brings turmoil to the kingdom. In an attempt to set things right, Merida seeks out an eccentric old Wise Woman (Julie Walters) and is granted an ill-fated wish. Also figuring into Merida’s quest — and serving as comic relief — are the kingdom’s three lords: the enormous Lord MacGuffin (Kevin McKidd), the surly Lord Macintosh (Craig Ferguson), and the disagreeable Lord Dingwall (Robbie Coltrane).
Now check out the visually splendid trailer for Brave:
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This film seeks to do what Disney’s well-received film Tangled did before it: usher the classic princess fairytale into the modern age, via a heroine who is less ‘damsel in distress’ and more free spirited, independent and rambunctious. It’s good to hear actual Scottish actors like Kelly Macdonald, Kevin McKidd (HBO’s Rome), Craig Ferguson and Billy Connolly (Boondock Saints) being used to bring these Celtic characters to life – as opposed to American or English actors trying mimic the unequivocal Scottish brogue.
In terms of visuals: Brave‘s creation of medieval Scottish lands looks impeccable and visually gorgeous to see. Case in point: the sweeping shot of that castle on the hillside. The characters look like fun cartoonish humanoid designs, and princess Merida’s (and her siblings’) fiery red hair is an impressive character all its own. The green landscapes and various animals featured in the trailer are also well rendered.
The only thing that this trailer could’ve done better was to give us an actual sense of what the story is about – on the whole, it doesn’t tell us much more than what the synopsis and teaser trailer did. Then again, with the recent trend of trailers that have revealed too much information about an upcoming movie, maybe less is better…
Be sure to check out some recent Brave images to see more of the character designs.
Brave will be in theaters on June 22, 2012
