Tangled
Yes, I would go so far as to compare this film to some of the studio's modern classics like Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King. And yes, I'm just as surprised as you. With its modern CG animation, and ad campaign that emphasizes pop music and one liners, I was expecting a fun, but mostly frivolous film. But, this is a classic Disney fairy tale with all the humor, charm, likable characters, catchy musical numbers, and a tiny bit of a dark edge, just to keep things exciting. (Parents should not worry about the PG-rating when it comes to small kids, though. Aside from a tiny bit of blood on display near the end, this movie's as clean as they come.) In a way, Tangled is a perfect blend of modern animation technology (this is an absolutely stunning film to look at) and strong, traditional storytelling. Directors Nathan Greno and Byron Howard (Bolt), along with screenwriter Dan Fogelman (Fred Claus) have basically taken the classic story of Rapunzel, made it smart and current enough to appeal to today's kids, and blended it into something truly special.
For everything the filmmakers have done right, however, the studio has made one very big boneheaded decision, which is to release the film in 3D. I have spoken out quite frankly about recent 3D technology in past reviews, and how I view it as probably the biggest scam in cinema so far this century. And as long as a majority of studios view it strictly as a cash grab opportunity to clean a few extra dollars out of the pockets of the audience, that's how it will remain. Watching Tangled in 3D is a serious crime. The dark glasses rob the film of almost all of its color and splendor. And this is a vibrant, beautiful movie. I found myself lowering the glasses from my eyes, so I could take in the color the way it was meant to be seen. With the glasses on, it's like watching the film through a dirty window. Everything's muted and dull. To make matters worse, aside from a scene late in the film concerning hundreds of paper lanterns being lifted into the sky, very little of the movie takes advantage of 3D. So, basically, you're paying a few dollars extra for muddy picture quality, and a lesser experience all around. Do yourself a favor and track down the 2D screening in your town, if you can find one.
But let's put that ugliness aside, and talk about the film itself. The plot concerns an evil witch named Mother Gothel (voice by Donna Murphy), who keeps herself eternally young with the aid of a magic flower with life-restoring powers. One day, the flower is picked by some royal guards, who need its powers in order to save the life of an ailing queen who is about to give birth. The queen is restored, thanks to the flower's magic, and the daughter that she gives birth to somehow inherits its powers. The baby's golden hair holds the same restoring magic as the flower. The witch finds out about this, and promptly steals the child away, locking her away in a tower, and forcing her to keep her eternally young with her magic. The child grows up to be Rapunzel (a surprisingly wonderful voice performance by pop singer Mandy Moore), a spirited girl not aware of her own past, but with a strong desire to explore the world outside the tower.
So, since she has never set foot outside of her room, what is she to think when a dashing young thief named Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi) enters the tower, hoping to escape from the authorities? The movie gets some big laughs out of their initial meeting (she conks him on the head with a frying pan, then tries to hide his body when Gothel comes home), but we can see a glimmer of the relationship that will grow during the film. Rapunzel soon realizes that Flynn is no threat to her, and sees her opportunity - He will be her guide to explore the outside world, in exchange for his freedom and escape from the various guards, knights, and rival thieves pursuing him. Flynn reluctantly agrees, and the two go on a series of misadventures in the kingdom, as Rapunzel slowly puts together the pieces of her past, and they both develop romantic feelings for each other. As is the cardinal rule in these sort of films, there are animal sidekicks along for the ride. This time, there are two - A clever chameleon who is loyal to Rapunzel, and a very smart horse, who loses the knight riding him early on, but continues to chase after Flynn. These two do not talk at all, but still manage to be full of personality.
So yeah, we expect all that in a Disney fairy tale film, but Tangled is an example of how to do it better than the norm. The storytelling is clear and concise, free of filler and pointless characters. The musical numbers by Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid) and Glenn Slater are actually memorable, instead of slowing things down, and sometimes feature fast, funny lyrics that may take more than one hearing to get all the jokes and word play. But most of all, the two lead characters are memorable. Rapunzel is sweet, without being overbearing, and we delight along with her as she discovers her adventurous side. The self-mocking Flynn starts out a bit too jokey and sarcastic at first, but he gradually evolves into a hero we can get behind. This is a movie that forgoes temptation to throw in a lot of references and pop culture, and just tell a strong but simple story. Also of note is the film's villain, who is given a lot of controlling, jealous rage (and a showstopping tune or two) by Broadway's Donna Murphy.
See the movie times in your area or buy the DVD at Amazon.com!
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