Tangled
Year: 2010
Director: Nathan Greno & Byron Howard
Starring: Zachary Levi, Mandy Moore & Donna Murphy
Runtime: 100 mins
BBFC: PG
Published: 08/11/21
Director: Nathan Greno & Byron Howard
Starring: Zachary Levi, Mandy Moore & Donna Murphy
Runtime: 100 mins
BBFC: PG
Published: 08/11/21
If The Princess and the Frog proved anything it’s that critics loved Disney’s return to Renaissance Era filmmaking. But its poor box office performance indicated two things to Disney, firstly that princess stories were old hat, and secondly that 3D computer animation was more of a money maker than traditional 2D animation. The idea of adapting Rapunzel to the big screen as a Disney Classic had been batted around Disney Animation Studios since the 1960’s, and production officially began on the project during the mid-00’s. With the threat of another box office bomb on their hands Disney did what they could to make the film appeal to a wider audience late into its production. Thankfully though, Disney didn’t change too much of what made The Princess and the Frog a critical darling but did manage to make the film more palatable to modern audiences.
Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) has lived her whole life in her tower, unable to leave due to her mother (Donna Murphy) telling her the world is a dangerous place, full of criminals who want to steal Rapunzel’s magical hair. But Rapunzel dreams of seeing the floating lights that only fly once a year, on her birthday. So, when handsome young thief Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi) stumbles upon Rapunzel’s tower and she captures him, she makes a deal with him that he will take her to see the lights in return he will earn his freedom and the treasure he recently stole.
Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) has lived her whole life in her tower, unable to leave due to her mother (Donna Murphy) telling her the world is a dangerous place, full of criminals who want to steal Rapunzel’s magical hair. But Rapunzel dreams of seeing the floating lights that only fly once a year, on her birthday. So, when handsome young thief Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi) stumbles upon Rapunzel’s tower and she captures him, she makes a deal with him that he will take her to see the lights in return he will earn his freedom and the treasure he recently stole.
This modern take on Rapunzel coupled with Disney’s larger than life musical numbers is a winning formula that completes the successful merger of Disney’s beloved Renaissance Era films with their more recent forays into 3D computer animation. Tangled is a story of new discoveries and wonder, our leading lady is bright eyed and naïve but not stupid, being more than capable of rising to the challenge whenever one confronts her. Flynn is also a very endearing character who you can’t always decide if you love or loathe. He’s arrogant and self-obsessed, but he does have genuine concern for Rapunzel and her wellbeing. The chemistry between the two works really well and is what truly anchors the film; and whilst each character has a respective animal ‘sidekick’ which are there for comic relief, they kind of fade into the background because the story works so well with just the two of them.
Tangled improves upon their 3D computer animation standard Disney set by Bolt in 2008, but it’s still lagging behind their competitors, and even further behind Pixar which for some time at that point had been a partner studio. Environments look great with lots of lush greenery and densely populated locales; but character models, whilst improved, still look a little plastic and stiff at times.
The musical numbers are fun with the standout numbers being ‘Mother Knows Best’ and ‘I Have A Dream’, but none of them reach the same highs as any Renaissance Era film, or even The Princess and the Frog.
I’m kind of short on opinions of Tangled because it’s not bad but it’s not great either. It performed considerably better than The Princess and the Frog did commercially, but I feel it lacks the same passion and heart that was oozing out of every facet of that production. Whilst it’s certainly great to see the Disney fairy-tale musicals returning in the age of 3D computer animation, I feel like Tangled does leave you wanting for more when compared to the likes of the Renaissance Era films. It’s good fun, and really that’s all you’ll actually want from a Disney Animated Classic, but I doubt it’ll be one that’ll be stuck on repeat for generations to come.
Tangled improves upon their 3D computer animation standard Disney set by Bolt in 2008, but it’s still lagging behind their competitors, and even further behind Pixar which for some time at that point had been a partner studio. Environments look great with lots of lush greenery and densely populated locales; but character models, whilst improved, still look a little plastic and stiff at times.
The musical numbers are fun with the standout numbers being ‘Mother Knows Best’ and ‘I Have A Dream’, but none of them reach the same highs as any Renaissance Era film, or even The Princess and the Frog.
I’m kind of short on opinions of Tangled because it’s not bad but it’s not great either. It performed considerably better than The Princess and the Frog did commercially, but I feel it lacks the same passion and heart that was oozing out of every facet of that production. Whilst it’s certainly great to see the Disney fairy-tale musicals returning in the age of 3D computer animation, I feel like Tangled does leave you wanting for more when compared to the likes of the Renaissance Era films. It’s good fun, and really that’s all you’ll actually want from a Disney Animated Classic, but I doubt it’ll be one that’ll be stuck on repeat for generations to come.