Tangled

Voices of: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, Ron Perlman, M.C. Gainey, Jeffrey Tambor, Brad Garrett, Paul F. Tompkins
Directed by: Nathan Greno, Byron Howard
Rating: PG
Genre: Animation, Comedy
2010

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A thief (Zachary Levi) stumbles upon a tower holding a beautiful woman, Rapunzel (Mandy Moore). The two team up to help her explore the world she's never before step foot in.

Review:

Tim: I admit I am a bit surprised that Disney was able to create a good animated film without the help of Pixar. Maybe I'm being overly harsh on the Disney animators, but that's how I feel. I thought Tangled looked like it could have been good, but I was very unsure. It was actually a solid, entertaining movie. In another year, it might even have looked better. However, in a year with wonderful animated films like How to Train Your Dragon and Toy Story 3, this film falls just short. It is good, but it's clearly a step below its competition.

Still, I want to praise Disney for making a good animated film here. I have to applaud them for the look and feel of the film. It's certainly unique what the animators were able to come up with here. It really does look like a moving painting (what they intended). It looks and feels different from the multitude of computer animated films rolling out of Hollywood every year. I loved the colors and the crispness, and it helped bring me into this world.

I have to say that the voice cast helped, too. Mandy Moore and Zachavy Levi have voices just unrecognizable enough so I wasn't constantly thinking about them, but strong enough to pull you into the characters. They may be a bit of an unlikely casting choice, but it worked well for the film. The rest of the cast is good, too.

I loved that Disney tried to give this film a little depth. This movie can be watched as a fantasy fairy tale about a girl and her long hair. However, it can also be a commentary on overprotective parents who shelter their children from the realities of the world in the hope that it will "protect" them, when they really are protecting themselves. It speaks to parental manipulation. These are pretty grown up themes, but they were weaved into this film quite well. I also like that the film film wasn't overly sanitized and dumbed down. We actually see a character get stabbed in the stomach with a knife! Bravo, Disney.

The story is actually pretty good. This isn't just about a girl with long hair, but a coming of age story- a story about a girl out in the world for the first time, trying to make sense of everything new. It harkens back to a time in our own lives when we first explored the world around us- old enough for the freedom to do so, but not so old that we felt comfortable doing it. I loved that aspect of the film.

The songs are mostly good, but there's nothing that was an instant classic here. I think the movie would have been better with one amazing, unforgettable song. Yes, the song "I See the Light" was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song. It is clearly the best song of the film, and a beautiful one as well. I liked it very, very much. I just wish it had a little more punch, a little more emotional connection. It's very good, but misses out on greatness.

I don't often comment on the actual rating, but I want to do so with Tangled. I really liked this movie. My debate was between 7 and 7.5. I was leaning towards 7.5, but I also rated Toy Story 3 the same. That movie was certainly very, very good. I don't think it was great, but it was close. When I thought about the emotional richness of Toy Story 3, I realized I just couldn't put Tangled on the same level. It's close (in reality, probably a 7.25, if that existed). So, sorry, Tangled. You're certainly good, but not as good as you needed to be.

That being said, I am very glad I watched this movie. Disney should be proud of themselves for giving us such a good animated movie without Pixar involved. We could use more of these movies, and I appreciate the effort Disney put into this good animated film.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Toy Story 3, How to Train Your Dragon, Megamind, Despicable Me, The Princess and the Swan