The animated fairy tale adaptations from Walt Disney Animation Studios have always been some of my favorite animated movies to watch. Essentially, fairy tales were what started the studio in the first place and without them, animation probably wouldn't have taken off to where it is now. Though the studio that pioneered the animated movie did have a very rough time in the early 2000s. Nowadays though, their bad times are far behind them as their new animated movies have simply been fantastic. Among their new movies have been some reimaginings of fairy tales with one of the most notable ones being an adaptation of Rapunzel simply known as "Tangled". If there's anything this film proves, it's that Disney still has the magic touch when it comes to adapting fairy tales into animated musicals because this is once again another fantastic one.
For many years, there grew a magic golden flower with the power to heal the sick and injured that blossomed from a drop of the sun and was used by the evil Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy) to keep herself young for hundreds of years. Though when the pregnant Queen of the kingdom of Corona becomes deathly ill, the flower is taken in order to heal her. Eventually, she gives birth to a daughter with beautiful golden hair and the source of the flowers magic healing powers named Rapunzel (Mandy Moore). Though the baby is eventually kidnapped by Gothel since she's determined to remain young forever and needs the magic hair to do so since it can't be cut since it will lose its magic. For almost eighteen years, Rapunzel has lived inside a hidden tower along with chameleon named Pascal and prevented by Gothel from leaving it claiming the outside world is a dangerous place. Though it doesn't stop her from seeing lanterns that are launched by the King and Queen every year on her birthday. Wanting to see the lanterns for her eighteenth birthday, Rapunzel is determined to leave the tower to see the outside world and her luck would change when a thief named Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi) accidentally stumbles upon the tower trying to hide from the soldiers of the kingdom. Forcing him to be her guide to the kingdom, Flynn, Rapunzel, and Pascal then go on a grand adventure to the kingdom while avoiding the soldiers of Corona and one of their horses named Maximus unbeknownst to them that Gothel is determined to take Rapunzel back to the tower and keep her their forever.
I've always been a fan of the fairy tale Rapunzel, so I was very eager to see how Disney would put their own spin of the classic fairy tales and I was very happy with the new version of the story they told. The story team did do some changes to the fairy tale, but they are also changes that make sense. I love how it explains why Rapunzel's hair is kept long, why she was kept in a tower, and even why her hair is golden blonde. Not only that, the film is just fun. The screenplay written by Dan Fogelman really has a lot of charm and humor in it that leads to some of the films most memorable moments. As for the animation, it's simply outstanding. The springlike colors of the film are so warm and attracting and the film definitely delivers on the painting like feel that the Disney artists wanted for the film. Not to mention how well the character designs have the classic Disney feel to them that I felt was missing from their prior computer animated films. Speaking of the characters, their easily the heart and soul of the movie. The chemistry between Rapunzel and Flynn is perfectly done showing how well the two work together on screen and the two's passions really do blend well together. Even the side characters like Pascal and Maximus are fun and have some memorable moments. Also, Mother Gothel is a fantastic villain. Rather than relying on magic tricks or other forms of evil to get her ways, Gothel's biggest weapon is essentially her words. The way she psychologically manipulates Rapunzel is really creepy and simply well done. Though there's one more thing I have to talk about and that's the songs and they really hit them out of the park. Alan Menken returns to write the songs for the film and he gives it one hundred and ten percent like he always does. I think my favorite song numbers include the "I've Got a Dream" and "I See The Light" scenes. Both are just fun and simply beautiful.
And I think that's the best way I can describe "Tangled". Fun and simply beautiful. The story is another fun animated fairy tale featuring some funny and charming moments, the animation is gorgeous and simply spectacular, the characters are all memorable and have lots of personalities, and the songs are once again toe-tapping and catchy. This is what I love to see in a classic Disney animated movie and for what it's worth, it definitely gave me what I wanted.
