3D Tangled (2010); animated comedy family adventure film review

Promotional poster artwork for the animated comedy family adventure film Tangled. Image: Walt Disney Pictures.

Follicle Fantasy by Linh

Disney’s re-telling of the Brothers Grimm classic fairytale, Rapunzel, has been re-titled as Tangled and sanitised for younger audiences. Gone are the poor parent peasants, who are replaced with a King and Queen; there is no mention or appearance of a prince who impregnates a teenage Rapunzel when he first climbs into her tower; or that Rapunzel ends up giving birth to twins. Instead, there is a band of merry thugs, animal sidekicks, a pair of twin red-haired bandits and a petty thief who steals Rapunzel’s heart. The narrative is completely altered to become lighter, less harrowing and more heart-warming than the Brothers Grimm version. However, the story contains the Disney-esque ‘follow your dream’ message which has been used repeatedly in almost every Disney animated film.

PROPER PANNING: Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) and her weapon of choice in the animated film Tangled. Image: Walt Disney Pictures.

Tangled is Disney’s adaptation of the classic Brothers Grimm story about Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy), a sorceress who abducts the baby princess Rapunzel so she can use the healing and anti-ageing powers of Rapunzel’s magical, golden hair. For 18 years, Mother Gothel keeps Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) trapped inside a tower, warning Rapunzel to never leave the safety of the tower as the world is a dangerous and fearsome place. Every year, Rapunzel watches thousands of lanterns that are set afloat into the night sky on her birthday and she longs to see them up close.

A few days before her 18th birthday, Rapunzel is encouraged by her only friend and pet chameleon, Pascal, to escape the tower and as she formulates her plan, a thief named Flynn Rider/Eugene Fitzherbert (Zachary Levi), climbs up the tower and into her window. His arrival marks the start of an adventure for the sheltered Rapunzel who will go to any lengths to see the lanterns on her birthday.

COLOURED CHAMELEON: Pascal the pet chameleon plays hide and seek with Rapunzel inside the tower in the animated film Tangled. Image: Walt Disney Pictures.

Tangled’s contemporary story gives the film a fresh and lively narrative structure in which familiar characters interact with several new characters. The music courtesy of Alan Menken (Enchanted, Beauty and the Beast) and lyrics by Glenn Slater are wonderful accompaniments to the characters’ interaction and are lovely sound-bridges between scenes.

The talented voice cast sing well, also adding depth and believability to their character roles. Singer and actor Mandy Moore is delightfully endearing, sweet and courageous as the sheltered but multi-skilled stolen princess, Rapunzel, who not only charms muscled and moustachioed thugs with her sweet songs, she can also fight her own battles with a frying pan.

CRUEL COLLUSION: Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy) and the Stabbington brothers (Ron Perlman) strike a deal in the animated film Tangled. Image: Walt Disney Pictures. 

Zachary Levi as the dashing thief, Flynn Rider/Eugene Fitzherbert, is comical, vain and deceptive with a touch of goofiness. Levi’s duet ‘I See The Light’ with Mandy Moore is moving and opens the way for romance.

Every Disney film needs a nasty villain, with two-time Tony Award winner and theatre/TV star Donna Murphy (Dark Horse, Higher Ground) providing the right mix of motherly nurturing and selfishness as the ageing sorceress Mother Gothel. Murphy’s vocals are warm but sinister in her signature song ‘Mother Knows Best’, and Mother Gothel is an effective binary opposite to the youthful, beautiful and kind-hearted Rapunzel.

ROUGH RIFF RAFF: The ruffians and thugs at the Snuggly Duckling attempt to apprehend Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi) in the animated film Tangled. Image: Walt Disney Pictures.

The animal sidekicks in Tangled don’t talk but are both adorable and funny. Pascal is Rapunzel’s playful pet chameleon and her trusted friend who is instrumental in Rapunzel’s decision to leave the tower. Maximus is the Captain of the Guard’s horse and is strong, courageous and intelligent. Maximus’s determination to capture the wanted thief Flynn Rider/Eugene Fitzherbert throughout the film provides some humourous moments. 

EQUINE EXCELLENCE: Flynn (Zachary Levi) shields Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) and Pascal as he fights the sword-wielding horse, Maximus, in the animated film Tangled. Image: Walt Disney Pictures.

 

The Stabbington Brothers who teamed with Flynn Rider but were betrayed by him, are voiced by Ron Perlman (Hellboy 1 and 2, Drive) with bold and brazen aggression. The twins represent an idealised image of masculinity with broad shoulders, tall stature and muscles but their aggression and heavy-handedness make them unattractive, compared to Flynn’s sculptured jaw, slim physique, smouldering good looks and shiny hair. Flynn’s vanity is apparent as he relies on his good looks to escape tricky situations, and his response to Rapunzel when she whacked him with the frying pan is “You broke my smoulder!”

Amidst the singing, drama and comedy of Tangled, there is an underlying theme of appearances and how males and females pursue or are pre-occupied with external appearances of their own and of others. Mother Gothel is obsessed with looking younger, Flynn is frustrated about how his nose is incorrectly drawn in all the ‘Wanted’ posters of him, the thugs at the Snuggly Duckling bar are all sweet and gentle despite looking fierce and terrifying, and Pascal the pet chameleon can physically change his skin’s colour to camouflage and blend in with his surroundings.

LUMINOUS LANTERNS: Flynn (Zachary Levi) and Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) enjoy a boat ride surrounded by hundreds of birthday lanterns in the animated film Tangled. Image: Walt Disney Pictures.

Tangled is Disney’s 50th animated feature film and a couple of minutes of the short film Steamboat Willie starring Mickey Mouse precedes it. Tangled is a light-hearted, musical comedy adventure with a thief who discovers that love makes you richer than money could and a sheltered girl who discovers her true identity when she summons up the courage to pursue her dream.

Directors: Nathan Greno, Byron Howard

Writers: Dan Fogelman (screenplay), Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (story)

   

Voice Cast: Mandy Moore, Donna Murphy, Zachary Levi, Ron Perlman, Brad Garrett, Jeffrey Tambor, M.C. Gainey, Richard Kiel, Paul F. Tompkins, Delaney Rose Stein, Tim Mertens, Nathan Greno, Byron Howard

Producers: Aimee Scribner, John Lasseter, Glen Keane, Roy Conli

Original Music: Alan Menken (music), Glenn Slater (lyrics)

Film Editor: Tim Mertens

Production: Douglas Rogers (Production Designer), David Goetz, Dan Cooper (Art Directors)

Running Time: 1 hour and 40 minutes