I agree with those that say, that this is a good story. It's like a Twilight Zone episode. In the beginning, one is intrigued and guessing what will happen but then that breaks down, and it doesn't seem to be fantasy anymore. It just seems like we don't really believe in the story or the characters anymore. Why would any of them act like that? Seriously, I really think Rod Serling could have gotten some great stuff out of this, apparently, Hostel-like story and setup. The subject of snuff-movies is an epic theme, but this way of telling the story is just so weak that we lose interest. Still it is a lot more interesting than the average movie, and clearly Johhny Depp is a talented director but he should really have thought some more about creating some excitement in this story.

For anyone who's followed Johnny Depp's career it was pretty interesting to watch his first movie as a film director. The story he chose dealt with an Indian-Mexican-whatever (it's not very precise) that's gonna make a big sacrifice for his family. What kind of sacrifice? Well, you'll have to watch "The Brave" to know it, 'cause thats the movie's main secret. They're poor, they live in a place that looks like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre farm... Everything's so tough. One of Depp's biggest mistakes was not to give a normal personality to any of the characters. They're all so eccentric, they're all freaks, and that makes the story a little bit unbelievable. He shouldn't had played the main character, because he looks more like a "cock-rocker" than like a wretched Indian native. Besides, the script has no rhythm at all, and it's quite irregular.

In short: "The brave" is not as bad as all the critics think, and we have to thank Depp for trying to make a different cinema, so influenced by his friends Jarmusch or Kusturica. But he's not Jarmusch, he's a great actor, not a director. Anyway, this was his first try... Let's give him a break.

*My rate: 5/10

When this came on Tasmanian television, (oh yes) I did have some misgivings about staying up late to watch it. Then the "directed by Johnny Depp" came on and I thought....boy if Brando wasn't in this I am off to bed. But I sat up, watched it, and it one of those films that stays with you. The horror and the torture come later, and it is awful to think of this brave young man subjecting himself to these monsters, but that is the lure of the story I guess. Perfect casting by Depp, cant argue with the direction or the story. It's bleak but somehow beautiful at the same time. Yes it shows the best and worst of humanity. Not something to watch with the family on a movie night, but it does deserve an audience...you will not enjoy it but you will remember it.