Brave
A spirited Scottish princess accidentally turns her mother into a bear and must race to break the spell before it becomes permanent, all while confronting a terrifying demon bear that haunts the kingdom. The heart of the story is a deeply felt mother-daughter relationship, but the bear peril and transformation sequences carry genuine weight that can catch younger viewers off guard.
Most comfortable for kids 6 and up; sensitive 5-year-olds may need a lap to sit on for the bear scenes.
If you’d rather skip
The film opens with Mor'du attacking the family during a birthday celebration; the bear is enormous and the attack is sudden and frightening.
A serious argument between Merida and her mother escalates; Merida slashes a family tapestry, and her mother destroys her bow in the fireplace before Merida rides off in tears.
Merida encounters Mor'du alone in dark ruins; he stalks her from the shadows and charges at her.