Movie Review: Tangled

Right out of the gate, Tangled has a lot stacked against it. First of all, it’s the 50th animated feature in the Disney canon. Since that canon includes The Lion King and Pinocchio , it’s pretty obvious that Tangled has a towering legacy to live up to. Moreover, it’s another one (and probably the last) of Disney’s “princess” flicks and considering the fact that its predecessors are films like Sleeping Beauty and Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs… Tangled has a barrage of great expectations pinned on it. And finally, the change of directors & titles, along with the uninspiring promotional material really made this one out to be a stinker.

Which is why, I cannot sufficiently convey how surprised (and absolutely pleased) I am to report that not only is Tangled a worthy addition to Disney’s oeuvre and a delightful “princess” tale, but it is also a damn fine film in and of itself. It’s beautiful, engaging, funny, uplifting and extremely entertaining. Read on for more.

As fairy tales often do, the film begins with a voiceover narration from Flynn. He walks us through how an elderly woman named Gothel sees a magical flower and uses it to keep herself young forever. Quickly, we come to know that the Queen – expecting a child – is ill. She’s cured by a broth made out of the flower. Consequently, the healing properties of the flower resuscitate in Princess Rapunzel, or to be more specific, her hair. Gothel kidnaps Rapunzel, isolates her in a tower and raises her as her own daughter. Distraught, the King & Queen release lanterns into the sky every year on Rapunzel’s birthday, hoping she’ll notice and come back to them.

Fast-forward eighteen years and Flynn Rider – having just stolen the Princess’ tiara from the kingdom – betrays his partners-in-crime and stumbles upon Rapunzel’s tower, which he decides to use as a hideout. Although he and Rapunzel don’t hit it off at the start, they soon realize they have much to offer each other and strike a deal. Flynn will take Rapunzel to witness the launching of the lanterns (she’s unaware of their significance & her true identity) and in return, Rapunzel will return Flynn’s satchel to him (which she hid after knocking him out). Of course, there are some malicious elements hindering their way, such as Gothel, Flynn’s partners-in-crime and the lead guard’s horse Maximus. How are protagonists escape them, accomplish their mission and – gasp! – fall in love is what the film’s about.

If my recap made Tangled seem convoluted beyond measure, then don’t fret – the film does a much better job of setting things up. The framework is complex because it is made up of so many cogs and the narrative follows multiple strands throughout the runtime. But to the makers’ credit, things never get overwhelming. Tangled captured my attention from the get-go and never let it slip. I was enraptured for just about all of its duration and it was indeed a joy to watch everything unfold.

I really must applaud directors Nathan Greno and Byron Howard for the stellar job they’ve done here. They juggle a multitude of tones and balance things adeptly, be it the rambunctiousness of a tavern-set musical number or the whimsy of a scene just consisting of hair being stroked. And boy, they know how to do action. There is a giant set-piece at the end of the film’s first act (revolving around a dam) that blew me away with its scale & impact. They also know how to stage a small action beat – such as a horse jumping over a rooftop – so that it packs a punch. Kudos to them.

If nothing else, atleast no one can deny that Tangled is a visual feast. The art design, production design, animation and cinematography of the film are top-notch. Not only are the characters designed immaculately, the locations are conceptualized brilliantly too. Watch out for the scenes set inside the kingdom, as the leads frolic around, or the sequences set around the prison/tower. “Beautiful” would be an understatement.

The voice-cast does a highly commendable job. Many Moore voices Rapunzel and she brings just the right mix of sass, wide-eyed wonder and vulnerability to the character. Zachary Levi voices Flynn Rider and he does a great job. He’s roguishly charming, lovably smarmy and just downright heroic. Donna Murphy voices the antagonist Gothel and truth be told, she is the Achilles’ Heel in the line-up for me. It’s not that she is bad… but she isn’t good either. I would be remiss not to mention the *non-speaking* characters of the film, Maximus and Pascal, because they are so freakin’ awesome. Maximus in particular comes very close to stealing the show. His interplay with Flynn is the highlight of the film.

I saw the film in 3D and I do have some things to say about the experience. Yes, the 3D glasses dim the overall picture and for a movie as bright & colourful as Tangled, that’s a weighty disadvantage. There are some sequences set in pretty dark locations, like a closed cave or a foggy harbour, and some details become slightly hard to make out due to the dimming. However, the added depth does make some bits an absolute joy to behold. For example, there’s a scene with lanterns (lots of ‘em) towards the tail-end of the film and it is enchanting in 3D. In fact, it’s so stunning it very nearly made me forget/overlook any other complaints I might have had.

I know I’ve been showering profuse love on the film for a while now, but lest you think it’s perfect, I would like to point out some flaws. Firstly, for a musical (and one as high-profile as this), the music is a big letdown. I’m a big fan of Alan Menken (his work on Beauty and the Beast is spellbinding) but he drops the ball this time around. There are simply no memorable songs (hours after the film ended, I couldn’t remember a single one). Moving on, even though her arc is compelling and the makers give her character a lot of meat… Gothel just didn’t come off as that good a villain for me. In the past Disney has given us iconic baddies like Gaston, Maleficient and Scar, which is why Gothel was more than a tad disappointing. That’s all the missteps I can think up for now. And believe me, just two for a movie ain’t a bad thing. Not at all.

I’ll be honest and admit that I went into Tangled with moderate-to-low expectations. I wasn’t expecting to like the film, let alone love it as much as I do. The film is a splendid return to form for Disney Animation and one I’ll be revisiting soon, and often. Highly recommended.

(3.5/4)

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Photo Credit: Walt Disney Animation Studios