And its first original story since Up appears to be set in the corny realms of fairy tale usually dished up by Mother Disney.Īnd yet, at the end of the astonishingly good first act of Brave, you want to cheer. For the first time in its rich tapestry, the latest Pixar film is approached with something like trepidation - there have even been rumours of behind-the-scenes conflict, key creatives handing in their Hawaiian shirts. Care of the empty dazzle of Cars 2, sequel to the empty dazzle of Cars the opening, indeed, of Cars Land in Disneyland (weren’t such tawdry brand extensions beneath their lofty ideals?) and the flop-by-association of John Carter, which their famed Brain Trust could do little to salvage, they appear short on inspiration.

But of late, a shadow has fallen across its pineapple-yellow happy rooms, their communal breakfast carts and bottle-green think tanks.

Anyway, this animation studio was rightly held in high esteem not just for the exquisite look of its films, but for the wit, wisdom and emotional colour with which it invested its varied fables. not half as funny as it thinks it is, and we’ll come to Cars in a moment. A Bug’s Life is only pretty good, Monsters, Inc. Once upon a time, there was an animation studio that could do no wrong.

Brave 2012 online