REVIEW: Tangled

With Moana right around the corner, it seemed an ideal time to explore a modern animated Disney film that I had somehow never bothered to watch up until just now. To be perfectly honest, Tangled hit theaters when I really couldn't have cared less what was coming out of the Disney Animation Studios; direct-to-video sequels were being pumped out at every turn and their theatrical efforts by and large struggled to fill the shoes of the classics that had come before. The Renaissance had ended and Disney found itself somehow reverted to the Dark Ages. Perhaps a bit hyperbolic (considering this era gave us quality films like The Princess and The Frog and, I can't believe I'm saying this, Cinderella 3: A Twist in Time), but one only has to compare a movie like Chicken Little to a movie like Mulan to get an idea of how the studio had changed over a few short years. It may seem shocking, considering it's been three years since Frozen was released and we still can't seem to let it go, but it wasn't long ago that the prospect of a new Disney film wasn't all that exciting. Pixar figurehead John Lasseter was put in charge of Disney Animation in 2006, signaling a turnaround in the studio's output. While The Princess and The Frog was Disney's true contemporary return to form, it was the studio's next film, Tangled, that is often credited with kickstarting the new Disney Renaissance.

Originally titled Rapunzel Unbraided, the film's name was changed to better represent the story's dual protagonists (as well as to appeal to the young male demographic that would later motivate the House of Mouse to spend several billion dollars acquiring Marvel and Lucasfilm). Kidnapped as a baby and confined to a tower for her entire life, Princess Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) longs to see and explore the outside world. She ends up crossing paths with one Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi), a would-be dashing rogue on the run from the royal guard after a daring heist. He finds himself shanghaied into helping the young princess escape her confinement to see the annual lantern festival in a nearby kingdom. Meanwhile, the duo are pursued by the sinister Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy), a conceited witch who wishes to keep Rapunzel imprisoned forever, so that she may use the girl's magical hair to continually grant herself eternal youth.

While the concept of "spunky girl and tough guy with a heart of gold" is slowly becoming a recurring theme with modern Disney movies, the dynamic here between Rapunzel and Flynn is utterly delightful, making for plenty of Romancing the Stone-esque action and adventure. Both are endearing, capable characters in their own right, playing to each others strengths in every situation. They're a bonafide power couple; while their occasional use of modern slang can get a bit distracting, Moore and Levi's chemistry more than makes up for it in the long run. Theirs is a relatable, enjoyable romance that definitely sets the tone for films to come.

For me personally, the character who stole the show was Donna Murphy as Mother Gothel. Memorable villains are a trademark of Disney's animated features, and this is no exception; she's narcissistic, self-absorbed, and manipulating, playing an excellent foil to the naive-but-good-natured Rapunzel. Their dynamic is easily one of the most engaging aspects of the film; this isn't some ditzy girl falling for the villain's obvious scheme. For all intents and purposes, Gothel raised Rapunzel as if she were her own; it was far from an ideal upbringing, but we see Rapunzel struggle between feeding her own dreams and desires and betraying the closest thing to family she's ever known. We see her come to terms with the fact that their relationship is an abusive one and are able to sympathize with her plight. It's a more intimate, tighter-knit hero/villain relationship than one usually sees in movies like this. Maybe its because there's no climactic action sequence, maybe it's because the character gets nowhere near as much screentime as I would have liked, but I can't shake the feeling that Mother Gothel is one of the utmost underrated Disney villains of all time.

As strong as the characters are (make no mistake, they carry this movie), I can't help but feel left wanting in regards to the soundtrack. That's not to say any of the songs are bad (I honestly enjoyed all of them), it's just that there's not as many memorable numbers as one would expect from Disney regular, Alan Menkin. The majority of the songs here are merely passable; there's no Let It Go, no I'll Make a Man Out of You, no Part of Your World. The "main" song, I See the Light, is more or less a perfectly ordinary romantic duet, completely saved by the gorgeous lanterns sequence which accompanies it. That said, I did in particular enjoy I've Got a Dream, which conjured up distinct vibes reminiscent of Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Blazing Saddles. The best song by far, however, comes unsurprisingly from Donna Murphy. Mother Knows Best was written to be a Sondheim-esque broadway number, and it shows. Murphy utterly kills this track (in particular the reprise later on in the film), imbuing it with a passionate energy that's lacking from most of the other songs on display. The world went mad for Idina Menzel's vocals in Frozen, but I can't help but feel that Donna Murphy does just as good a job here, to say the very least.

While it stumbles occasionally, Tangled is still a delightful, charming, and thoroughly heartfelt film through and through. This is a Disney fairy tale at its finest, easily ranking among the studio's best work. As Disney made the transition to computer-generated animation, they felt the need to directly compete with Dreamworks' trendier, more sardonic offerings. This led to a number of oddball projects (like the aforementioned Chicken Little) that attempted to revamp the Disney brand into something hip and thoroughly modern. The Princess and The Frog symbolized a return to form, but Tangled is where the studio really found its footing in the modern era, embracing that classical Disney magic that never truly goes out of style. It's a feel-good timeless adventure that I truly regret not seeing in the theaters; if you somehow haven't watched it already, definitely check this one out.