I just got back from the theater after a night out with some friends, and I had the privilege of seeing two very distinct films. One was Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. The other was Disney/Pixar's Brave. Of course, I can't help but review both of them, being the huge movie nerd that I am.
Regarding Abe Lincoln, I found it in the long run to be an incredibly stupid action/horror movie that tried to disguise itself as a historical character piece. I am aware that it is based on a book, and the author even wrote the screenplay. However, that does not change the fact that the film itself is deeply, DEEPLY flawed. For starters, the first half of the film has almost no correlation whatsoever to the story of Abe Lincoln.
Now I'm not gonna lie: I'm no history expert. I don't know that much about Lincoln's early history. But the fact of the matter is, the way this film starts, it acts like it doesn't even try to tie in to Lincoln's past. It seems more like a 19th century superhero movie, with a main hero who swears to avenge a loved one after they are killed by an evil force, growing up training to fight that evil, and then engaging in a secret life to slay his foes, all the while trying to keep his distance from others but ultimately failing and making close friends as well as a romantic relationship. All very familiar territory, with the only real change being the period setting.
Then comes the second half, where the film randomly jumps forward about 30 years and our main character has grown up to be the Abe Lincoln we know from history. We're expected to believe that there's a huge conspiracy where vampires are the real power behind the secession of the Confederacy, that vampire soldiers were the reason Gettysberg was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, and that Abe Lincoln himself, pushing 60, can battle vamps on a moving, flaming train using an ax and a silver pocket watch like brass knuckles. Not to mention an ending that sacrifices all common sense for the sake of setting up a sequel. That's right. A movie about Abe Lincoln, that even references his assassination come the end, tries to set up for a sequel. Let's face it, this film is not getting any Oscars for best screenplay.
Now after saying all this, I also realize that the film, while bad, has a certain charm to it. Once you realize that the film you're seeing is utterly stupid (and come on, with a title like Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, you know it's going to be), you can actually get something out of it. The entire movie gives off a "so-bad-its-good" vibe, everything from the acting to the story to the action sequences. Oh god, the action sequences. I already mentioned the moving train. There's also young Abe's chase with a vamp among a stampede, and a completely inconceivable fight against several vamps at a southern ball. These battles consist of exceptionally bad CGI and over the top choreography. But they're also lots of fun. And when I say "fun", I mean fun as in "point and laugh at how stupid it is that a guy can come bursting into a room and take out several vampires with a horse drawn carriage" fun. The entire movie is played straight, so that adds even more to the unintentional hilarity of the film. At the end of the day, I would classify Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter as a well-made guilty pleasure, a fun movie to watch solely for the fact that everything from the premise to the execution is hilariously bad.
And then there's Brave. I've been interested in this film since I saw the first mysterious teaser trailer. I've loved Pixar since I was a little kid, when my dad took me to see the first Toy Story in theaters. I've been in love with almost every Pixar film since, barring the Cars movies. I sincerely thought that Pixar was pretty much incapable of making a bad film. However, after the critical misfire that was Cars 2, some were worried that the company had lost its touch, myself included. I was hoping that Brave would be a return to form for Pixar, evidenced by the concept they chose to go with. I'd seen what the company could do with superheroes and science fiction, and now they looked like they were ready to tackle epic fantasy, set in Medieval Scotland no less. The fact that this was to be the first Pixar film with a female lead also made this even more interesting. Besides Prometheus and the superhero films, this was the other movie I was hyping up for the summer.
I'm glad to say that I wasn't disappointed. Brave was an all around amazing film, with a well thought out story brimming with action, humor, visual splendor, and plenty of character development. Our hero, Merida, is not only Pixar's first female lead but its first princess as well, making this Pixar's first foray into territory usually covered by its parent company Disney. But unlike Disney, who adapts old fairy tales like Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, and Rapunzel, Brave is an entirely original tale that draws from Scottish lore. In terms of character, Merida blows any regular Disney princess out of the water. She's smart, she's funny, she's wicked with a bow and arrow (Katniss Everdeen and Hawkeye would squirm), and above all she's adventurous, rebellious, and independent. She refuses to tie her fate with that of a man, and therein lies the driving force for the film.
Merida is bound by tradition to marry one of three suitors from rival Scottish clans, less they all go to war. Her mother, Queen Elinor, has been preparing her for this moment her whole life. Not wanting to get married, Merida has a falling out with her mother and runs away, seeking help from a witch who changes Elinor into a bear. The mother-daughter team set out on an adventure to reverse the spell before it becomes permanent, all the while trying to resolve the conflict between the clans and evading the threat of Mor'du, the demon bear who took the leg of Merida's father King Fergus and left him with a lifelong grudge against all bears.
The story itself, while clever, veers into familiar princess fairy tale tropes towards the second half, and is littered with tons of slapstick comedy (even a few partial nude scenes). While this makes the film somewhat predictable, the story is still done rather well, and is carried thanks to the emotional connection that is built up between Merida and her mother. As a consequence, it is this relationship that makes the film soar, and is by far its greatest aspect storywise. Merida instantly regrets what she's done when she sees her mother as a bear, and in the attempt to correct the spell the two grow closer even though Elinor cannot even speak. They gain a newfound appreciation for each other and realize they can learn much from one another, with Merida learning the importance of tradition while Elinor learns it's ok to try new things. Their journey is what audiences will empathize with, and while it's not tear-jerking like the beginning of Up or the end of Toy Story 3, it's still enough to make you care about the characters and their fates.
Visually, this is one of Pixar's best films. The animation captures the beauty and ruggedness of the Scottish highlands perfectly. Castles, lochs, forests, waterfalls, ancient stone monuments, magical will o' the wisps, and demonic bears all look spectacular, not to mention how realistic Merida's wild fiery red hair is. The score is also excellent, peppered with traditional Celtic music that helps set the tone of the film. As an assault on the senses, Brave is just beautiful. So while the story may be a little familiar and therefore not one of Pixar's best, the characterization of Merida along with her relationship with her mother, coupled with the full-blown Scottish setting, make Brave a truly spectacular addition to the Pixar canon. I would highly recommend it to anyone of any age, as this is truly a family film with enough action, story and humor for every one to enjoy. Both Brave and Abe Lincoln were definitely worth seeing, even if for vastly different reasons, and in the end they more than earn their place as wildly entertaining summer films.
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