IR: Tangled

Rapunzel has lived nearly 18 years in a tall tower, her 'mother' seems overly concerned about her chances out there in the big world. But Rapunzel wants to leave to see one thing: the beautiful lanterns that appear every year for some reason...on her birthday. Enter the tricksy Flynn Rider, on the run from the law and with something very valuable in his satchel...

Tangled was very sweet and entertaining. It follows the basic storyline of Princess and lovable criminal get together (Maid Marion/Robin Hood, Jasmine/Aladdin etc.) However it is fresh and bright and fun and a bit more grown-up and insightful into troubled mother/daughter relationships. Rapunzel herself is creative and self-motivated and sweet which I liked, because yay art and boo swanning about putting on make-up all day. It continues the current trend of self-satirising cartoons which try to twist the classic story-telling to show that it identifies what it is and humorously references this within the story. For example, the 'Mother' at one point spells out for us, “Fine, I'm the bad guy now” and male lead Flynn self-consciously tries on the smouldering handsome man look that in earlier Disney films would cue a smooching scene. The rest of the film includes lots more grood (great/good) parts, like when Rapunzel talks to a horse like he's a dog (who's a good horsie?! Yes you are!) and going to a pub called The Snuggly Duckling (I love ducklings! Awwww! Me too!).

There is no caption, only cute.

We cried a few times at the emotional bits, and laughed at the yay bits. Picked it apart a bit on the way home but nothing damning, it is a very fun film and I would happily see it again!

4 Stars

Since I missed out on the Princess and the Frog, this is the first Disney film I have seen in a while. And I gotta tell ya, they still got it.
This was a genuine solid piece all the way through. It had all the requisite stuff; action, cool animals, romance and a bona fide happy ending...plus one of the best female lead roles I have seen in a while. Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) is definitely up there with the best of the Disney Princesses with the added bonus that she kicks ass with her hair and a frying pan.
The supporting cast are all well done, but more on that in a mo.
We saw it in 3D which was pretty pointless. Hardly anything jumped out at you, literally...the most beautiful scene in the film (about half way through) was mostly not in 3D and the bit that was was the rubbish bit. Still, the whole thing is impossibly gorgeous in digimation, especially the aforementioned heroine and her teasy-squeeze Flynn Rider (Zach Levi off of Chuck- who knew? IMDB, thats who!). Speaking of which there is some serious fetish fuel in this movie- forget the hair, Rapunzel spends the whole film barefoot. Quentin Tarantino probably wants some of that action.

These little piggies had a massage.

The reason I say this piece is 'solid' and 'good' and not 'great' were the following: the songs, though up to a fair standard, felt more like filler than anything. They weren't bad by any means, but I every time the singing started I wished (and bear in mind I LOVE musicals) that they'd just get on with the plot. I remember studying musicals, and how the key to a good one is that a song number is an integral part of the plot rather than a decoration. Maybe I'm being unfair.
Next, Zach 'Flynn Rider and Chuck' Levi is an alright voice actor but...meh. There seems something a little lacking in his dialogue. In Disney heritage terms his character is closest to Aladdin, a lovable thief with a heart of gold. But there just wasn't the snap to his lines there was with Scott Wienger in Aladdin. Maybe its the direction. He brightens up in the third act but by then he's become more responsible. He doesn't quite make the loveable rouge thing work.
Finally, the plot.

Not as 'tangled' as you might think, schnah schnah!

Tangled is probably the most grown up of the Disney films I have seen because it HINTS that things are not always as easy, simple and carefree as they might seem. But crucially NOT ENOUGH. I want subversion and post-modernism, damn it! With Shrek now 10 years old and Disney getting the crap deconstructed out of it, we need the original to get smarter. Particularly in the relationship between Rapunzel and her 'mother', which seems like it might be interesting and ambiguous, but ultimately falls back on the wicked step-mother mythology the Bros Grimm immortalised back in 1812.
Like I said, I haven't seen Princess and the Frog, but going from Tangled it seems Disney are still a little behind the curve...but not by much.
See it, laugh, shed a happy tear and dream your dream.

3/5