This is one of the most beautiful and at the same time most dreadful movies I ever saw. Screenplay, directing and lead actor - Johnny Depp, music - Iggy Pop, and the fact that Marlon Brando agreed to participate says enough. Story itself could be told in just few sentences, so do not expect much of action. Movie is slow, rough and crushing and it is more about evoking psychological atmosphere than telling a story. Cast is great, music too, and the way Depp pulled off the role and directing, in my opinion, makes this movie his lifetime achievement.10/10IMDb rating for this movie is shameful and tells more about superficial taste of today's audience than quality of the movie itself.

Johnny Depp is one of the finest actors of Hollywood and I appreciate his attempt in directing. However, the final outcome of 'The Brave' is halfbaked. The film itself is quite boring with only a few notable sequences. The plot feels contrived, even though there's hardly anything going on most of the time. The cinematography is good in places. The dialogues are ineffective. Given the limited budget, the film does look slightly poor on the technical side but this is a very minor flaw. The music is pleasant to the ears but the use of it could have been toned down for more effect. The acting is very stagy. Marlon Brando fails to convince. Depp isn't bad but this is nowhere near any of his best works. There is good chemistry between him and Elpidia Carrillo. He has chosen a difficult story to direct but he does succeed in a few parts. He tries to use subtlety but ends up doing too much of it and as a result it's ineffective. Perhaps it would have been a wiser choice to direct something a little lighter and simpler.

I am a cinema maniac and have a DVD collection of nearly 1200 movies besides other 300 VHS, including all the Hollywood Academy Award Winners. My tastes go to Italian, English, French and American films of 1930,40, 50 and 60. But I see and buy films of today even being the distribution here around 90% of American films, the majority very bad, not to mention the real word. I missed THE BRAVE when it passed here in our cinemas and yesterday I noticed by chance that it was to be shown on TV. AS the director was Johnny Depp I decided to see it. I knew J. Depp as an actor only. I enjoyed the film very much. It has substance and so I decided to keep it. However Leonard Maltin's 2008 MOVIE GUIDE does not even mention it. Why ? Why did Johnny Depp not let his film to be released in the U.S. . Can someone please explain ?

A while ago i was looking through my on-line rental list and i got recommended a film i had not heard of before called The Brave,the only details i could find is that it stars and was directed an co-written by Johnny Depp.So i picked it to rent,and i was very pleased to see that this is a fantastic film,and its a real shame that Depp has not directed again: The Plot: Depp plays an American Indian named Raphael,Raphael finds out the very run-down area where he and his family live,is going to get bulldozed over soon,so Raphael-who has a very "troubled" past,feels he has to do everything he can to get enough money so his family can move from the area.He goes to a old ware-house,where he is told he could get $50,000 for being in a snuff film (that will show him getting tortured and killed)Raphael accepts the offer,hes then told he has one week to sort everything in his life out,before he is murdered.But when a drug dealer hears about this,he tells Raphel that he will kill his wife and kids when he dies.So Raphel decides to take action..View on the Film: The person i must highlight is Johnny Depp.While Depp is known for doing very loud characters,he does a very different turn here.Here he seems to be a very somber person,and thought he is flawed- you do feel sympathy for him.Depp also does a great job at at showing someone who feels that death is tied to his legs.As a director Depp shows that if this was not sadly the only film he did,the he would be really special.The film has a very "elegiant" feel,that can proudly be put next to the films of Terrrnce Malick.He also does well when a part in the film that involves violence (thankfully not the Snuff film) he makes sure its not seen as a gore-hound and that you understand why Raphel is taking this action,and he does a very classy love-making scene,that puts most directors to shame.Final view on the Film: A truly amazing film,thats extremely under-rated,with fantastic acting and directing from Depp.