“Brave” (Disney, $49.99) is Pixar’s first Disney-esque Princess movie that looks good in Blu-ray 3D.
Gratefully, Pixar’s quaint 3D short “La Luna,” that preceded “Brave” in theaters, is included on this disc in 3D. The short is a typically clever piece depicting a fable-esque coming-of-age story of a young French boy learning the important work of two men who are apparently his father and grandfather. There is no English dialogue, and we’re not even sure if the French was understandable, but the message is clearly humorous and touching. A ladder extended from the row boat towards the moon exploits the use of 3D by pushing slightly off the screen into the audience.
Also pleasingly included here are three trailers, also in 3D, for “Finding Nemo,” the upcoming theatrical sequel “Monsters University,” and the upcoming spinoff of “Cars” produced for Blu-ray called “Planes.”
The movie itself is set in the Scottish Highlands of old and is the story of a rebellious teen girl who inadvertently casts a spell that turns her Queen mother into a bear, and spends the rest of the movie trying to remove the spell while learning a lesson about what’s important.
It’s when Princess Merida is shooting arrows and riding her loyal horse through the forest that the 3D provides a subtle deeper level of visual immersion into what may be the most technically impressive computer-animation of a fantasy world.
Ultimately, this is one of Pixar’s weakest films and it doesn’t measure up to Disney’s most recent Princess movie “Tangled,” but it is nonetheless a pleasant adventure that kids and parents will surely enjoy.
One interesting note: there’s a nice text tribute to Pixar’s late co-founder Steve Jobs midway through the closing credits.