Readnought Reviews

Brave (2012)

A teenagers mythical brush with fate

[8/10 · 3 November 2013]

This is a tale of the difficult concept of fate.

Merida, the princess of a clan in mythic Scottish coast-lands (supposedly around 400 AD as there's talk of both Romans and vikings being repelled by the clans cooperating) is coming of age. To her loving mother, the queen, in particular, this means she ought to take a suitor, and in general follow the path set before her as first lady of her people. At the time in question, this entails very ladylike and tame conformity indeed. Of symbolic importance is a tapestry of the mothers make and design, hinting at the many threads in the weave of fate/proposed identity. The tapestry shows merida and her mother, among others. It's the mothers design, as is the mothers ideas of how Merida needs to behave. But Merida has her own ideas of what she needs. These get her into trouble so dire that she has to acknowledge the problem of her responses to her mothers proposals as a problem to her as well, perhaps for the first time, and the movie revolves around her making the mental transition from headstrong child to struggling adult.

Brave is commonly acknowledged as state of the art of present day animation, and it is certainly a pleasure to look at the realistic yet stunningly beautiful way the wild environment has been put to life. I've rewatched the movie several times, just for that. (have it on blueray)

Some have scolded the movie for being thematically difficult to follow, or for not being funny enough. While I can understand the criticism, I think it mostly stems from trouble relating to the difficult theme: that of struggling with a supposedly set fate.

The concept of proposed fate/identity is commonly misunderstood as a deterministic outlook, these days, but has more to do with the idea of some lifestories/paths being fitting for a person, and the supposed folly of rebelling against it.

So what to do about it - this proposed 'fate' / identity Do as you're told? Do as you please? Fight anyone who would try to oppose you? Try to do right? And what is that, exactly?

Brave is about all of that, or just that: The concept of fate, and what to do about it.

The title 'Brave' is arguably a poor one, except that it is the one strain of unflinching priority that goes through all Meridas developing approaches to the question of fate/identity. She never shies away from the challenges she's facing, but to begin with, the challenges she accepts as right for her are quite different from the ones society would have her take. (Be a wife, queen, mother etc. as opposed to the challenges of defending her freedom.) To begin with, she's very self-absorbed, if still good natured in a childish fashion. As the story progresses, it becomes apparent to her that this is not good enough, even by the standards of following her own heart, which she manages to do, while it matures.

Personally, I applaud Pixar for a huge animation achievement, as well as a tale full of heart and humour, both subtle and overt, taking on a concept as difficult as the struggle for identity, in a manner so smooth and full of magic and adventure that even an early teen child might follow and enjoy it.

8 out of 10

Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)

The courage to be lackluster (commercially uncommitted storytelling)

[7/10 · 3 September 2012]

The first time I saw this, or tried to, I fell asleep. The cinematography is handsome, and the acting pretty good all around. Nevertheless I was bored out of my mind until, alas, I fell asleep, about 40 minutes in, unengaged by the characters, uncaring about their fates, although they seemed to be engaged and caring about themselves and their world.(ie: the acting was not the problem. Rather, the presentation of the characters was failing to engage me in their destinies before I lost consciousness, if that was the plan.) I awoke some 40 minutes later, to yawn through the reminder of the movie, still utterly unengaged in the now melodramatical action, of course.

As a neutral point, I'd say the scripting on a tale wellknown to all is pretty standard fare - nothing too far removed from the classic tale, nor too clingy about that. Here, the style is greytoned, gritty and medieval in comparison, but that is about it. At the level of just relating the scenes of the tale, nothing special is going on here, for better or for worse. That is, except perhaps in the (somewhat interesting in itself) surreal/psychedelic perspective on white magic and dark sorcery, which is hardly thanks to the scriptauthor, although these interesting effects are well enough integrated in the story.

I just gave it a second chance to tell its story a few hours ago, and I am very pleased that I did. Once again I found the beginning utterly unengaging and boring. This time around, I was prepared for that dull ride, though, and simply paused it every so often to take care of other business around my home, then to return and watch a little more. Also, I was becoming somewhat intrigued by the lackluster storytelling, and trying to understand what was off. I'm still not entirely certain, but I have a few clues, that shouldn't be spoiling to anyone. First off, I challenge the claim that anyone is acting downright badly in this movie. I tend to think the whole crew did pretty good on their respective characters, actually.

This movie just isn't doing what we are used to: steadily building momentum, and insisting on you to fall in love with the characters from the outset or never ever. Seeking/succeeding in getting your pulse rolling from the outset with exhilarating chases and teethgrinding pathos. Which is more or less how you construct your run-o-the-mill blockbuster.

The first time I felt a flicker of interest in this tale, was 53 minutes in, when the princess encounters a troll. I can't promise that you'll be equally interested in what happens in that scene, it is still subtle, (and not necessarily for everyone, of course) but from that point on, and only then, the sparks starts to fly, building the pathos and ethos of the tale, and as such making the logos of it all meaningful and thoughtprovoking. At least to the extent that you are not too insulted by the failed or absent seduction in the loooong and dragging beginnings to be charmed by it now that it is turned on. I know I wasn't, now that I was awake and attentive enough to watch the 'fire take hold' at long last.

The resulting movie is one that I consider to be a rare and unusual pearl of storytelling, touching on themes of death, aging, loss and lack of innocence, meaning, heart and caring; as well as their counterpoints of having/finding the warmth to keep the fires going, and of daring to age, lose and die, and therefore, to live.

I do not blame those who scold this movie. I only wish for them they'll give it another chance, and be as rewarded as I was. I also have a hard time believing it was the Hollywood producers accepted intent for something like the first half of this movie to be so unengaging, as it has no doubt cut the commercial winnings on the finished product in half, if that can even cover it. I do suspect, however, that it was the directors final intent to deliver just such an unusual and daring piece of storytelling, as it does seem to deepen the otherwise apparently simple and overt fairytale, and let its subtle symbolic depths really shine.

If you are ready for an old school fairytale with something it wants to say about life, like it used to be; and if you can accept this movies insistence on the rhetorical freedom of being tediously unengaging in the telling, for the first 53 minutes, at least, you might see something rather interesting and beautiful, here.

7 out of 10 stars for the still less than streamlined telling of the tale (imho)

1 extra for daring to be deep, by turning on the charm only at the point that the participating storyteller was charmed, rather than just trying to entertain its audience with cheaply sold pathos up front.

8 out of 10 stars, all in all.

Dog Soldiers (2002)

A modern classic

[31 May 2008]

Amazing! 32 minutes into this movie, I made a mental note. It's already easily the most entertaining werewolf story I've seen. And that held, without a moment of second thought, right until the end. Good direction, good acting, very good (meaning credible yet exciting) action scenes. The plot was fairly thin, but then, there wasn't much need for one thicker than just so. What little plot there was, was solid. Minimalistic but sharp as a 100.000$ katana. A movie to be proud about, on the entire crew side, and one to see at all costs on the audience side, wheteher you happen to like it or not. It's just too good to miss, within its genre. As such it's a classic.

Sweeney Todd (2006 TV Movie)

Excellent piece of storytelling

[8/10 · 12 February 2008]

You believe in every one of the characters in this movie, as well as this being historical London. (Which it may or may not have been- the story may well be nothing but urban legend, of course.)

Ray Winston does a great job. He has done so often enough, but this one is my favorite, so far.

It's actually pulled off portraying the 'mad barber' as a kindhearted fellow who's really only slightly disturbed (aside from being plenty homicidal) in such a way that you believe it, extreme as it sounds. Well, I certainly did, at least. All thanks to very good acting and character development.

In sum, I found this movie to be far better than the musical edition of the same tale, starring Johnny Depp. But then, I always prefer psychological credibility over costumes and singing.