A Mighty Girl Community Members Voice Opinions on "Brave"

Update: You can now pre-order the Brave DVD at Amazon.com.

 
We recently asked A Mighty Girl's Facebook supporters their thoughts on the new Pixar movie, Brave. The film has been highly anticipated for many months so we wanted to know if it lived up to their expectations and those of their children. Since we heard that a number of parents were on the fence about taking their young children to see Brave because of a few scary scenes, we also asked the group what minimum viewing age would they recommend.

Thanks to everyone who shared their feedback on the film! It will be undoubtedly very helpful for other parents, aunt/uncles, grandparents, or others thinking of taking children to see Brave.

For other girl-empowering animated movie recommendations, visit A Mighty Girl's animated movie section.

Please note that for privacy purposes, we've only included individual's first names.

• Adrienne - I'm also interested in the answer. I've got a 3 1/2 yr old that we're thinking about taking her to see it. Thanks for anyone's input!
• Tara - my 6 year old loved the movie. but the bear scenes were a little scary for her. i'd say 5-6 minimum age. teen girls really need to see it!
• Kristen - I took my 6 (almost 7) year old today and she was scared by the bear scenes (heck, I was gripping my seat, lots of suspense) but she was ok seeing it. There were younger kids in the theater too, but I am not sure what age I would put the lower limit on.
• Joanne - I saw it today with 9 7 and 8 year olds. They were all fine but there were a few younger kids in the audience that were terrified and had to leave. I think it depends on the kids and most moms know if their kids are going to be scared.
• Christine - my daughter is 6 and jumped during the bear scenes but was not scarred (no nightmares or anything). We both enjoyed the movie. I've read some criticize it's plot but I liked that it showed that both sides need to communicate.
• Elizabeth - My six year old was scared and buried her head in me - but she loved it. I, too, don't think I would take much younger.
• Rhondoll - Great mother-daughter story! The bear scenes are scary, but the theater stayed quiet. Glad Pixar/Disney made this one!!
• Nae - I think, like with most movies, what age will all depend on your child. I took my 8 and 10 year old girls to see it last night and my "usually terrified of even slightly scary scenes" red haired 10 yo happily sat through the entire movie with a smile from ear to ear.
• Tara - I saw so much of my own self and my mother, and then the same with my daughter and I. I also loved that the queen wasn't a push over, or evil, or absent as the mother's so often are in the typical disney princess stories. Eleanor was a real woman, and she carried herself well.
• Christina - I'm hearing a lot of 6 and up.
• Amy - My almost 11 y.o. daughter & I REALLY LOVED it, my husband & our 8 y.o. son also like it a lot, and our 4 y.o. son had a little trouble with the intense bear scenes: He was already worried about it from watching the trailer (he doesn't like the scary dragons from "How to Train Your Dragon" either, if that serves as a barometer for anyone). He started out covering his eyes during those scenes, but by the end of the movie he got over it and was watching just fine. Afterwards, when I asked him if he like the movie, he said "Yes!" I think it's likely to be too intense for kids 4 or 5 and under, but of course it also depends on the individual child.
• Vera - I didn't see the movie (but I really want to!!) but my husband took our 7 year old and 5 year old - the 7 year old LOVED it, the 5 year old was a little scared and sad (but no nightmares or anything).
• Danyel - My dd8 panicked during a couple of the scenes and she's usually pretty fearless. If they're familiar enough with the Disney formula and know that everything will work out in the end, they'll be fine. We loved it.
• Anastasia - I have a 5 and 3 1/2-year-old. I think we will wait for the DVD so we can all watch it together, possibly pausing it when we need to explain plot points. Also, the bear scenes won't be so terrifying if they aren't nightmarishly gigantic. I, however, plan to see it with my friend in the theatre as a way of showing box-office support!
• Muskadee - My daughter is 6 and was a little scared of the witch scenes but otherwise she was okay. I would say 5 and up for more sensitive kids. It was a good movie. Saw it in 3d and that was a lil disappointing, the good part is the story, special effects are just so so in my opinion.
• Kayla - My five year old son was in my lap for the last half of the movie because of the more intense scenes, but it didn't have a lasting effect--no bad dreams or anything. Both he and my eight year old daughter enjoyed it, as did my husband and I. I loved the focus on communication and forgiveness. Someone said they didn't see any real bravery in the movie, but I disagree. There's a scene where Merida throws herself in harm's way to stop her father from making a grave mistake, plus she just has this great free spirit and defies the princess stereotype. I'd say five is the minimum age I would recommend it for and agree that teen girls should see it!
• Momm - My sensitive kids got through it but do not want to see it again. That said , my 5 year old boy spent a good portion of it hiding on my lap.
• Eileen - I have a 5yo and a 3yo and I took them both. My son (5) had no problem at all and loved the movie, and my daughter (3) only climbed up into my lap at the intense scene at the end. But she still sat and watched without trouble, and we had no nightmares. Usually, if she's really scared, she'll hide her eyes and ears, and tell me it's too scary. She did none of that during Brave. I would say that it depends on the kids for sure though.
• Rikki - I definitely think it depends on each child, their usual level of being frightened, and how much they can understand of the movie. My daughter is 3 1/2 and is typically not too scared of things from movies (one of her favorite movies is A Nightmare Before Christmas), so the bear scenes, while intense were not too much for her. As for plot, with little short (very hushed!) explanations throughout, she grasped the overall story quite well. So, 3 and 4 year olds who are comfortable with shortish, scary scenes will do fine.
• Yvette - We loved the movie. The wish/magic part of it was a little silly, but we loved Merida and her bravery, and that she remained true to herself.
• Danyel - To clarify, my dd8 panicked because she was worried about the characters, not because she was afraid of the bears or witch. The characters being in distress can be overwhelming for emotionally intense kids.
• Christi - I have a 4 1/2 year old girl and I got the iPad app for her to watch. We've been watching it over and over and talking about the bear a lot. We've also talked about how it is all pretend. This is going to be her first movie to see in the theatre so we'll see how it goes. We are going to definitely go during the day so we have time to process before it gets dark as she definitely has a hard time going to sleep.
• Candice - Definitely depends on the kids. to be honest I was disappointed. I thought it was about a strong young girl. But really it was a realistic story about a girl who didn't like what her Mom said and had her turned her into a bear. I expected more in the "lesson/moral"of the story. Oh well.
• Amy - BTW, we saw the 'regular' version, meaning not 3D (which I think is a rip-off in general), and it was BEAUTIFUL!
• Alessia - I loved it! It was very captivating and i didn't find any dull moment and neither did my 4 yo daughter. The scene with the bear is a little loud but she didn't get scared at all. Overall a 10
• Stephanie - Took our 7 yr old to see it and she liked it. The bear scenes were a little scary, though. All in all we really enjoyed it!
• Patricia - My daughter, who will be 4 in August, enjoyed it. The bear scenes were scary but what scared her most was the one scene with the witch in the cauldron. It was not enough to make her dislike the movie or want to leave. She sat on our laps the whole time but did not look away. She was prepared though. She's been "reading" the story through the Brave game/e-book we downloaded. When she was worried I was able to remind her that it would end ok, just like in her book. We knew she could handle it and she loved it, but, just the same if she wanted to leave we would respect her feelings and leave right away. I would not but a blanket age limit on this, you know your child and what they can handle. Do the research into the movie and decide based on that.
• Terri - Going Tue and from the reviews I have seen I am more excited than my girls! My three are big Star Wars, Avatar (airbender) and Legend of Korra fans so I don't anticipate any fear. This movie is so overdue!
• Seddah - My 5 year old loved it. We talked so much about it after which was wonderful.
• Kim - My 3 year old covered her ears during the loud previews, but had no trouble at with the movie. We had read the little golden book a few times before seeing the movie and she met Merida at Disney before so she knew what to expect a little. I think it depends on the child.
• Samantha - I took my almost 5 year old daughter today. I really enjoyed the story, but the bear scenes were much more than I expected. She was on my lap clenching to me and crying several times - out of fear and sadness. But I'm glad we stayed to the end so she could see it end well. :)
• Michelle - Took two 7 yr olds....after Mirror Mirror they were disappointed in the story and said we could have waited for Brave to come out on Netflix.
• Rachel - I thought it had a lot of unnecessary violence-not just the bears. My 5 yr old son was scared and wanted to leave. My 7 year old daughter liked it but it didn't live up to my expectations.
• Danielle - Took my daughter and son 5 & 6yrs & they weren't scared at all. We don't have cable and we monitor what little tv they watch so they are not numb to violence the bear scene just not that terrifying.
• Margaret - Intensity-wise, the bear fight sequences were much more threatening than the witch. I actually did not find her at all threatening; she's more akin to the woman who assists Tiana and Naveen in 'The Princess and the Frog' than other animated witch characters who may spring to mind. Merida and her mother were refreshingly real portrayals. We took our 8yo daughter and 4 1/2 yo son. The choice to take a younger child really must be made based on reactions to other frightening on-screen situations. The bears are threatening at points and may feel more scary as a result of the authenticity. Yes, my kids jumped at points, but they were not terrified and were able to maintain that sense of remembering it's a story / film. I can see why 'Brave' would be too much for some, esp. if younger than 6. Use your knowledge of your child, perhaps alert kids that there will be scary scenes and talk that over in choosing whether to wait for a screening at home.
• Danielle - Btw, great story and when we came home we reenacted some scenes in our backyard :). Wonderful story about a mother's bond with her daughter.
• Kristyan - My 10 and 7 year old sons and my fearless 4 year old daughter LOVED it! My 2 1/2 year old got a little jumpy in my lap at the bear scenes, but did surprisingly well and asked for "more Merida" this morning. I think it depends on the child. The subject matter was just what I needed at this time- as a stubborn mom raising an even more stubborn daughter! I have seen a difference in our relationship already.
• Mackenzie - took my 4 yr old, my 7 yr old and her friend, also 7. There was one bear scene where my youngest covered her ears but not her eyes-the growl was loud. She still absolutely loved it as did the other 2 and my husband and I. I dont think it was the best movie ever but it was good. Nice to have a movie where the mom isnt killed off, she doesnt find prince charming, every learns because no one was right, just like in real life-we are all always learning and no one is perfect. It is nice too see a movie that concentrates on family dynamics and love not romance. What is more important to a child then their relationships with their family? More movies should refelct that. I was very happy with the movie and it was the kind of movie I enjoyed taking my daughters to-good influence.
• Carrie - Beautiful art. Powerful message. Intense story. Frightening moments. As many have said, a strict age limit is hard to access since kids are so different. I went with 3 seven year olds and they weren't too scared. The 4 year old was....very.
• Rebecca - Yes the bear scene was intense but little ones can close their eyes as we have for the past Disney movies.. No more intense then a couple of scenes from beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty... Took my nearly 10 son and nearly 13 daughter. Both loved it. Strong female lead yet no male bashing. No offish Gaston character. Da gets his girl. The young suitors come into their own (thanks to Merida) The mother daughter relationship was very appropriate and realistic! Angus the Draft Horse was vaery well drawn and proportional (my rider is tired of horses with skinny legs or big heads...) GREAT MOVIE
• Rebecca - Billy Connelly is always awesome!!!
• Kristen - My 5 year old loved it! The music is beautiful and we have been listening to the soundtrack all day. Queen Elinor's character was inpiring and Merida's flaming red hair was a beauty all its own! my daughter wasn't frightened by the bear scenes, but like others have said...the emotional scenes could be intense for sensitive children. But, the movie gives you a lot to talk about with your children! It's going to be our favorite movie for a long time......
• Katt - Very intense movie. I would say about 5 or 6 tops. LOVED the movie,but I think it's for older kids.
• Katie - My 7.5 year old had to get up and walk around a bit during the bear/witch scenes - but she gets reacts strongly to emotional tension & suspense. She loved the movie, but I think she will really enjoy it more at home when it comes out on dvd, now that she knows what to expect & because we don't have massive surround-sound speakers.
• Catherine - Liked it and my daughter loved it, though it wasn't quite as I expected. Movie is mainly about Merida's relationship with her mother. 3yr old and 5yr old who went with us had to both leave theatre a couple times.
• Emily - A neighbor picked up a Brave book (kind of a quick read/ Cliff Notes version of the story) the day before we went to see it. I was so gald my 6 year old had heard the story prior to watching it. It made all the difference.
• Tracy - I took my 10 and 12 year olds and we all really enjoyed it. What no one is talking about though is the mother-daughter plot line which was the majority of the movie. Yes Merida has a mind of her own and yes she stays true to it, but my big take away was that mothers must listen to their daughters and daughters must listen to their mothers. I really, really wish that the suitors had been more Prince Charming types so that when Merida says that she's not interested in marrying any of them it's because she's not ready rather than the fact that they're a bunch of buffoons. It would have been more powerful.
• Steve - Just saw Brave with one of my little princesses ( the 24 year old ) and we both loved it. She loved the music and the fact that they hired some actually Scottish actors to speak with Scottish accents. The animation was epic and beautiful ( 2D version ). Shades of Freaky Friday and The Little Mermaid, partly homage and partly doing things the Right Way finally. Can tell that this princess story had women writing, directing, and producing it. I might not take a kid under 6 to it, but that would depend on the kid.
• Melanie - It was too scary for my 5 year old. And the trailers at the beginning were not appropriate for her either, Spiderman and Batman.
• Megan - I think I'm in the minority with a two and a half year old who LOVED it. She's very smart and old for her age though. She tends to love "scary monster" movies though. This movie is really a masterpiece. Definitely was worth going to the midnight show!
• Mary - Brave was great! That's what bears are like....we should have a healthy fear of them.....
• Noell - It was wonderful!! The bear scenes were scary, but that's not new in animated films (thinking about millificent and Ursula), I think the age would depend upon the child-parents will be the best judge of how their children respond to scary moments in movies.
• Heather - My husband, our 3 1/2 YO girls and I all really loved it. The girls got a bit scared, but did not want to leave. Obviously, from this thread, it all depends on the individual child.
• Natalie - My daughter, 4 wanted to leave after an hour because of the bear scenes. As she was leaving she said very loudly "I want to watch a nice movie like Dora!" lol but she is still talking about the part of the movie she saw. I think it was just to loud and not as scary as she thought it was. I wish I could have seen how it ended.
• Autumn - We all loved it. I took my almost 2 yr old girl and her very sensitive almost 4 year old brother. She fell asleep before the end and my son was enraptured by the "girl with the bow and arrow". Neither were frightened.
• Melody - I have triplets who will be 4 in August. They've seen movies with violent scenes (Lion King and Beauty and the Beast) but they do not watch many movies. All 3 said the later bear scenes were scary, and that one particular bear but not the others (I'm trying to be vague!) was scary. All 3 said they want to see it again. I know a lot of the intricacies of the story went over their heads but we talked about how the movie related to some things we're working on at home - how Merida was strong and confident, and willing to face her mistake and work hard to fix it, how her mother never stopped loving her, and how good it is to think of how the other person feels when there is a disagreement. I really think knowing the child is best when deciding whether this is something they will enjoy.
• Melissa - Took my 5 year old daughter and almost 4 year old son opening night. Aside from a few dramatized "Ooohh scary" comments from my 5 year old, I don't think they gave the bear or the witch a thought. My daughter is fearless, my son is a bit more cautious. Good story, a bit weak in the middle, but overall was good.
• Jennifer - We took our daughter, 3, on opening day. This was her first ever Movie Theater experience! She just told me "I LOVED IT!" What did you think of the bear scenes? "I was a lot scared." She did have a bad dream about seeing a bear ... this was a first (the bad dream). However, she did go see it again the next day with my sister. She wanted to leave half way through but was talked into staying to the end. No bad dreams the second time.
• Gabriela - My 5-yr-old and her 5-yr-old buddy both loved it, were not frightened at all. I thought the story was going to be a bit lame when it got to the middle, but I really enjoyed the way everything resolved, how mother and daughter learned from each other, influenced each other. I can see how a very strict parent might not like this story, as it depicts some childhood rebellion, and it gives voice to a child's viewpoint in a respectful way, but I found it charming. And Merida's hair is fantastic. The scenes involving her archery and climbing are fantastic.
• Jennifer - To add .... my husband and I enjoyed the movie and we will get it when it comes out on DVD.
• Meaghan - I took my 4 year old and 2.5 year old. My little one was pretty scared of the bear scenes and the politics were lost on her. I liked the messages in the film, but it's for older girls, in my opinion.
• Nina - I loved it, although I could easily have lived without the human violence. My nine year old (red-headed) daughter just went to bed and asked me to assure her that she was safe from bears and witches. They did scare her, but then, she was also scared by the movie E.T. when she saw it a couple years ago. Her 7 year old brother loved the movie and even daddy went to see it and I think he enjoyed it too. I liked the different messages, that both mom and daughter made and realized their mistakes, and learned from them.
• Emily - My 9 year old loved it, but wasn't "ga-ga" over it (She is fortunate to be from a family of strong women, so this wasn't a novel concept for her). Why were the princes such inept doofuses?? My daughter said that even she could've beaten them! I appreciated the relationship between Merida and her Mother; what Mom wouldn't fight like a bear to protect her child?! We both wish there had been more Merida - I'm hoping she makes a cameo appearance on next season's "Game of Thrones!"
• Margaret - My 4 year old daughter loved it. We find it helpful to read the story book of a movie first. It was again a helpful technique.
• Erin - I found the movie to be incredibly violent. I wouldn't have taken my 5 yr old had I known how much violence there would be.
• Heather - My 5 yr old covered his ears and eyes a couple times. The 7 yr old was fine. We just saw it today, so will have to report back on any bad dreams. Beautiful story!
• Ann - My 10 yr old daughter and 7 yr old son enjoyed it. The bear scene was scary even I had to hide my eyes a few times ( but I am famously scaredy) ha. I think from age 6 is appropriate if you have sensitive children. It was touching and interesting mother daughter plot. I have to agree that the suitors should have been good looking and intelligent so that her feelings of not ready where just that and not a reaction to idiot uglies...it would have indeed been more powerful!
• Portia - I wasn't so impressed. The daughter was disrespectful to her mother, and the end got her way. I don't really see her being all that brave at all. (Maybe it is brave to cast a spell on your mom because you don't get your way.) I had high hopes, but was disappointed. I don't understand why in a majority of Disney films the children are disrespectful of the parents. None of the men in the movie seem intelligent. The Queen seemed to be running the kingdom. Also, during the segment with the chess men, the good guys were the white pieces, and the bad guy was the black piece (not good imagery at all - shame on you Disney - this is 2012).
• Allison - My husband and I enjoyed it. But we quickly agreed that we were glad we didn't bring our 5 yr old - too intense.
• Christine - My 4-year old loved it.
• Adeena - It helped that my child read the chapter book first, thus able to handle the film.
• Southern Fried Pagan - My two year old watched it and was not scared at all...
• Cathy - Cheers for this poll was wondering the same thing and looks like will be waiting a couple of years or so till I see this with my daughter...