Brave is a great family film with an overall positive message. My children walked away with an understanding of how selfish desires can harm others and while parents may be wrong at times, it is never ok to be rebellious.
The overall animation was great, the scary parts sufficiently scary without being the stuff of nightmares and the emotion invoking parts, invoked appropriate emotion. The vividness of the colors and detail of Merida's hair were amazing. It makes the viewer want to visit Scotland on their next vacation.
I loved that my daughter would reach over and pat my arm or lay her head on my shoulder every time the mother and daughter in the film argued or shouted at each other. She understood the emotion and the stress that it was bringing to the story.
The only negative is that once again all the males in this story were portrayed as bumbling men, who have no communication skills or ability to understand the finer points of life. Can they protect and care for their families? Yes. You are given the impression that is all they are good for, once again the females in the family must "rescue" the men from their incompetence.