3 out of 5 stars (average)
Many women in America battle each day with aging. They don’t want to wake up to that inevitable first grey hair or wrinkle on their skin. Thus, numerous companies were created who manufacture products that will supposedly make these women look younger then they actually are. What, however, if there actually was a substance that could make that dream of oh so many women come true? That’s what Rapunzel’s magic glowing hair can do in this version of the classic Grimm Brothers tale, Tangled.
Rapunzel (Voiced by Mandy Moore) was taken as a baby from her royal parents by Mother Gothel (Voiced by Donna Murphy) because of her hair’s magic qualities. The girl has been lied to for 18 years by Gothel that she is her real mother. Gothel has kept Rapunzel locked up in, none other than, a tower (duh,) so the wicked should-be-old hag can stay young. Rapunzel wishes to get out of the tower so she can see the “sparkling lights” that go up each year on her birthday, actually a signal from her parents for the princess to return.
This wish is granted by notorious thief Flynn Ryder (Zachary Levi, TV’s Chuck,) who just so happens to be looking for a place to hide after tricking his partners on the theft of the princess’s crown and evading the castle guards. He gets knocked out by Rapunzel shortly after entering the place, and after she steals the bag with the crown in it, agrees to take Rapunzel to see the lights in exchange for it. Sounds easy, right? Wrong, it’s actually quite hard, as the guards are still chasing Flynn, as well as a quite angry Gothel when she discovers her “daughter” is missing.
I have to say that this is one of the most modern Disney films in a long time. Its characters, good and bad, are filled with energy and charisma in my opinion not seen since the princess films of the 90’s. The songs are perfectly timed and written, with lyrics that while repetitive, ARE NOT ANNOYING. Only one song, “Mother Knows Best”, sung by Gothel, goes too long. The action is very good for a kids movie, no profanity is present (Very happy about that,) and Gothel is one of, if not the best, Disney villain since Mulan. My mother and I both agree that it’s good the movie didn’t resort to crude humor at any time, yet I was still laughing my head off.
The only bad thing I have to say is, again, Mother Gothel’s song is just too long. Other then that, Tangled is a perfect family-oriented comedy that will definitely entertain kids and adults, something that only Disney can do.
Rated PG for Brief Mild Violence