Tangled

With the Coronavirus contaminating movie theaters and public gatherings, Tangled offers an enjoyable story with some relevant songs on how to deal with social distancing. It may follow too many traditional elements of princess fairytales, but the quality of its characters make it a must watch. It celebrates rather than retells the classic tales to bring out the magic and joy felt when I was a child.

On my personal list of Disney-princess films, Tangled is better than Frozen. It is clear that Frozen has found its place in today’s culture by breaking conventional princess beats while also giving better representation of broken families and mental health, but that does not mean the ordinary setting of Tangled should be trampled. From the Snuggly Duckling to the floating lanterns of Corona, David Goetz and Dan Cooper’s art direction revives the soul of the classic adventure tales, bringing the emotional pull of Rapunzel’s dream in fantastic colors. The conflicting elements of this film, comedy and drama, blend between scenes with a fluid energy, sometimes shifting even the weather and sunlight within scenes as characters rise and fall. The world of Tangled is alive as it expertly flows from action set piece to sentimental camp fires. With this film being the first time Disney fully embraced 3-D animation for their studio, they keep their brushstrokes alive in the textures and movements of their character designs, yet by doing this they make their cartoonish expressions all the more real.

The characters met along the journey are some of the most vibrant supporting cast in Disney’s collection, especially with Maximus and Pastel. They are the best animal sidekicks Disney has to offer. Maximus’ intensity in every scene brings out most of the laugh out loud moments, and Pastel serves as the instrument for Rapunzel to express herself out loud to the audience. With the musical side of the story, though, the spotlight shines on the criminals in the Snuggly Duckling for the best scene of the film. The “I’ve Got a Dream” is the perfect combination of the story’s duality and its characters; the setting of a dangerous, medieval world with thugs and ruffians, molded by the loving core of their true desires. Not only is it the most iconic song, but it reveals to the characters that not everything is true at face value. Through their entertaining twists and humor, the meandering side stories greatly support the build up to the bigger moments of the core characters.

A popular belief is that a Disney film is as strong as its villain, and that might be the reason why this film goes under the radar for many people. Mother Gothel is a very silent antagonist to Rapunzel. On the surface, she is a witch that only commits to her evil at the third act. Beneath that, though, are the little manipulations she drops in every sentence with Rapunzel. The degrading comments and intense shifts in emotion paint a terrible portrait of a gas-lighting mother as she snaps at any possibility of Rapunzel wishing to see the world. Her positive expressions and gestures focus on the hair, whereas her temper is directed right at Rapunzel. The small detail of having mirrors in every room of the tower for her to gawk at her own image, and even the smallest grey hair will lead her to demand Rapunzel for her hair. Every rewatch brings these small details out more and more, and it was not until this time watching that I saw how twisted she is in her treatment of Rapunzel. Out of all the reasons to watch (or rewatch) this film on Disney+, Mother Gothel’s manipulative vanity is a hidden gem to find.

The biggest flaw of this film is how Rapunzel is almost pushed to the background. She is not as relatable as Anna in Frozen, nor is her development as unique and inspiring as Elsa in Frozen 2. But it is because of this flaw that the characters seem to step away from the center and invite you to step into the world and go through the journey with them. Flynn Rider is the true voice of what this film tries to be; a story on an adventure to find purpose after growing up on childhood fairytales. His charisma continually pulls you into the world. His comedic timing explodes in each scene, both with Rapunzel and characters without dialogue. The physical banter really shines through Maximus as Disney blends their prestige in 2-D cartoons with a 3-D setting. Unlike the animated films following it, Tangled creates an expressive fantasy rather than a simulated reality. It wants you to stay in the glory days of castles and princesses, swashbucklers and treasure. The characters do not act as idols to follow, but rather friends to play with. Was that the purpose? Probably not, but that feeling glowing off the screen has lived on for the past ten years, so even though the center stage feels empty, I fail to see that as a mistake.

Overall, this film is one of my favorite Disney films. The humor is wonderfully dry and sarcastic, understanding the shortcomings of its genre and pulling them to forefront without breaking the fourth wall. It blends the flaws of the narrative conventions into the characters’ world to make it seem all the more cartoon and heartfelt. I would much rather galavant through the woods, being chased by crown thieves before dancing in the Kingdom’s market-square than sit through another film bringing the real world into their princess fantasy. Tangled fulfills its dream of being an escape into a beautiful world with great scenery and even greater characters.

Story Rating: 8/10

Character Rating: 8/10

Entertainment Rating: 8/10