film review: tangled
Disney’s 50th animated film Tangled, is a fresh look at the classic Rapunzel fairytale. Mandy Moore voices the blonde haired maiden who has been locked up in a tower by the manipulative Mother Gothel.
The film introduces the audience to Rapunzel on the eve of her 18th birthday. Much to Mother Gothel’s annoyance, Rapunzel longs to explore the world outside of her tower, and she begs her mother to take her to see the ‘floating lights’. But Mother Gothel refuses and leaves her to wallow in her loneliness – her only friend is a cute chameleon, which is an interesting plot device. Usually Disney animations are full of innocently cheeky animal sidekicks, but the plot wastes no time meandering through the days of Rapunzel bemoaning her dull life. Instead, we meet Rapunzel, Mother Gothel, and then the mischievous thief Flynn Rider (voiced by Zachary Levi) in relatively quick succession.
After stealing the princess’ crown from the castle, Flynn is forced to go on the run. Desperate for a hiding place, he arrives at the foot of Rapunzel’s tower, scales it, and hides out in her bedroom. His discovery leads to an amusingly enraged and frightened Rapunzel who discovers his stolen goods and makes a deal with him – he must help her escape from the tower and take her to see the ‘floating lights’. He reluctantly agrees, and they’re on their way.
Unlike Shrek and Toy Story, Tangled doesn’t use a multitude of well-known fairytale characters to bring humour to the scenes with quick quips and secondary plot devices. Instead, the focus remains very much on Rapunzel, Flynn, and Mother Gothel as they each make their way towards the palace. Despite this close focus on the three main characters, the script remains sharp and well-paced, particularly for Flynn. He’s charismatic and sarcastic, and he and Rapunzel work well together as they journey through the woods. The music, while not as memorable as Disney’s work in the 1990s, is still enjoyable, and it helps illustrate both Rapunzel’s cause and her blossoming feelings for Flynn.
The animation is bright and colourful, but does lack variety, since the film primarily takes place in either the woods or Rapunzel’s tower. However, it’s the animation of Rapunzel’s long, blonde mane that really stands out. It becomes like another set of limbs for her, which is impressive to watch. It’s her security blanket, her protector and her saviour all at the same time. The animators use it to reflect her emotions in most of the scenes.
Tangled may not be the best of the musical Disney films, but it’s certainly a lot of fun, and most of the scenes will elicit laughter from both the young and the old. Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi are perfect for their roles, and Donna Murphy’s wickedly cunning Mother Gothel is a villain adults will enjoy, and children will love to hate. Overall, the film is a cute jaunt through the woods with two very appealing protagonists.
