Rapunzel, let down your hair!! And don't hit me with a frying pan!! Can Disney once again succeed in the world of fairy tales?
This comedic twist on the Rapunzel story starts off with a woman named Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy) discovering a magic flower that can keep herself young. Centuries later, in a kingdom, a Queen was very sick, and about to have a baby. Searching for a miracle, the King and his servants found the flower and the Queen was healed. Upon their child's birth, Gothel sneaked into the castle and found out that the baby's hair had the same rejuvenating power as the flower. Stealing the child, Gothel raised her as her own. 18 years later, Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) is now yearning to go outside of her tower, against Gothel's wishes. Meanwhile, a bandit named Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi) is seeking refuge from being the kingdom's most wanted. He soon runs into Rapunzel's tower and hides there, only to find that Rapunzel whacks him out with a frying pan (of all things). Tying him up in her now 70-feet long hair, Flynn agrees to take Rapunzel out of her tower to see "floating lights" that rise in the sky every year on her birthday. As they set out, they run into ruffians, thugs, and other sorts of danger along the way.
The animation is absolutely fabulous, with realistic, beautifully-designed characters and backgrounds. It may just be the most remarkable animation I have seen yet in a movie. The lanterns sequence is beautiful, and the fluidity the films' cinematography goes by gives it a sense of realism that I almost never see in animated films. I have to give extensive credit to the screenplay writer Dan Fogleman for writing an impressive screenplay that successfully twists the classic fairy tale.
The voice cast does a top-notch job, with Mandy Moore bringing a sense of innocence and honesty to Rapunzel. Zachary Levi brings nice comedic timing and sincere emotion with Flynn, and Donna Murphy does a wonderful job bringing the sophisticated, selfish, and somewhat evil (comparing to previous villains, she's not exactly evil, just selfish and extremely possessive) tone to Mother Gothel. There are some positive lessons on never underestimating someone, following your dreams, growing up, self-discovery, self-sacrifice, bravery and unconditional love.
Alan Menken once again gives a breathtaking music score, and the songs penned by him and Glenn Slater are well-written. The most memorable song, "I See The Light" may just be Disney's best song since its' heyday in the 90's. Also standing out are "Mother Knows Best", "When Will My Life Begin" (and their reprises) and the credits song "Something That I Want" (by Grace Potter). The film also contains a bunch of hilarious moments with the animal sidekicks, and several exciting moments as well.
What do I have to say negative about this movie? Just about none.
That's an enormous accomplishment. But I loved Tangled because of its' excellent story twist, great animation, songs, and exciting moments. So what does that all add up to? A fabulous movie that not only deserves a place on my all-time favorites list, but also deserves to be an animated classic that should continue to be enjoyed for years to come.
Should You Take Your Family To See It? Just as how Disney would do it, Tangled is a clean, family-friendly movie. A few scenes of peril may be a bit creepy for sensitive preschoolers, and the films' relatively light use of magic may require discussion. Rapunzel and Gothel wear low-cut apparel. Tangled earns a Level 5 on the Family-Friendliness Scale, and I recommend this for families with kids ages 5 or 6 on up. Its' terrific!! See this!!
