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Since the release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937, Disney has had its share of ups and downs. But, throughout those 73 years, the House of Mouse has touched generations of princes and princesses with its undeniable Disney magic—that consistent mix of endearing characters, sing-along songs, and gorgeous animation. Now, with Tangled, the studio’s 50th animated feature, Disney introduces dreamers of all ages to its first computer-animated princess—and one irresistible hero.
Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) was born with magical golden hair that had the power to bring youth and healing to those it touched. In a plot to keep the magic to herself, Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy) kidnapped the young princess and hid her in a tall tower.
Though she’s never ventured away from Mother Gothel’s protection, Rapunzel has always dreamed of getting a closer look at the magical floating lights that brighten up the night sky each year on her birthday. So when a charming thief named Flynn Ryder (Zachary Levi) finds his way to her tower on her 18th birthday, she makes a deal that will make her dream come true—as long as the two of them can escape Mother Gothel and avoid the palace guards and angry co-conspirators who aren’t far behind.
Tangled has all of the ingredients for a lovable Disney fairy tale, starting with the headstrong princess, the charming hero, and the cunning villain. Throw in a hint of adventure, a touch of romance, some dramatic musical numbers, and a couple of eccentric sidekicks, and you’ve got yourself another charming Disney fairy tale.
This time, though, the princess isn’t really the star of the show. Sure, Rapunzel is pretty much everything a good heroine should be. She’s sweet and thoughtful, yet she’s still strong enough to stand up for herself and make her own dreams come true. She even has a gorgeous singing voice (courtesy of actress/singer Moore). But she’s basically the boilerplate Disney princess. Mother Gothel, too, is a creepy villain (again, with a great set of pipes, thanks to Tony-winning actress Murphy). But thief Flynn Ryder easily steals the show.
Flynn isn’t Disney’s usually bland (and slightly vain) handsome prince, whose purpose is merely to rescue and/or fall in love with the princess. No, this hero is more than just another pretty face. He’s a bad boy with a heart of gold and an irreverent, sarcastic sense of humor. His constant banter with everyone from Rapunzel to Maximus the palace horse keeps the story light and entertaining—and it also makes him one of Disney’s most endearing heroes since another common thief, Aladdin.
Meanwhile, although the 3D computer graphics lack that warm, cozy, old-fashioned feel of Disney’s classic fairy tales (as well as last year’s hand-drawn fairy tale, The Princess and the Frog), it’s still absolutely gorgeous—a movie that you can watch over and over again, just to admire the skillful animation.
Tangled isn’t a flawless fairy tale. The story is admittedly rather thin, and composer Alan Menken’s latest soundtrack isn’t as unforgettable as some of his others have been. But with its breathtaking animation, its playful sense of humor, and a hero who’s sure to steal your heart, it’s yet another dreamy dose of Disney magic.
Blu-ray Review:
If you enjoyed the lovable characters and the clever humor of Disney’s 50th animated feature, you’ll want to check out the extras on the Tangled Blu-ray release for more Rapunzel, more Flynn, and more laughs.
Special features include two alternate storybook openings, two extended songs, and three entertaining deleted scenes (in which you’ll find tough guys who recite poetry and a fortune-telling monkey). In honor of the release of Disney’s 50th animated feature, there’s also a movie countdown, which shows short clips from all 50 films. It’s a fun brain-bender for diehard Disney fans—but, since the clips are also shown at the beginning of the film’s making-of feature, feel free to skip this one and watch the feature instead.
Voice stars Mandy Moore and Zach Levi host the main feature, Untangled: The Making of a Fairy Tale. More than just a boring old making-of feature, it’s filled with bloopers, laughs, behind-the-scenes tidbits (including how the women at Disney helped to design Flynn’s character at “The Hot Man Meeing”), as well as all kinds of Disney movie trivia.
Though the making-of feature is both eye-opening and entertaining (and definitely worth watching), some of my favorite extras are found among the nine Tangled Teasers. For some films, teasers are simply short trailers, with a few clips from the movie—but Disney likes to have some fun with their teasers. Here, you’ll find faux real estate listings, breaking news items, a commercial for prescription medication, and (my personal favorite) a cologne ad. They’re all super-short, and they’re pretty entertaining, too—so I recommend checking them out.
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