Tangled is the newest Disney movie. It was directed by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard and stars the voices of Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, Ron Perlman and Jeffrey Tambor. It’s based on the fairy tale Rapunzel.

Plot:
Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) has spent her whole life in a tower, not allowed to go out because the woman she thinks is her mother (Donna Murphy) wants to keep Rapunzel’s magical hair all to herself. But Rapunzel has plans, in particular, she wants to see the strange floating lights up close that appear every year on her birthday. When the thief Flynn Ryder (Zachary Levi) stumbles upon her tower, she sees her chance to get a guide.

Despite a few weaknesses and plot holes, Tangled is definitely the best Disney movie in years. It looks wonderful, is funny and most of all, it’s utterly charming. A great reworking of the old fairy tale.

Rapunzel is a really sweet heroine and Flynn quite definitely wins the Cute Disney Prince contest*. But the real stars were Pascal (the chameleon) and Maximus (the horse). [Which, if you look at Timon and Pumba or the Genie, is quite normal.] They were awesome.

Mandy Moore does a fine job as Rapunzel, thouch Zachary Levi and Donna Murphy are better. Especially Zachary Levi blew me away. If he’s that good in Chuck, maybe I should give the show another try.

The film looks wonderful. They make good use of the 3D, especially in the lantern scene.

There are some plot holes in the story, most notably why Mother Gothel would let Rapunzel keep her old birthday. But that is such a minor squabble that I’m very willing to overlook it. As well that the music isn’t as great as they were in previous Disney movies, but it isn’t bad either. And “Mother Knows Best” stays in your head.

I have to admit that the ending was a little… bittersweet for me, though it was probably meant to be all sweet. [SPOILER] But that Flynn cuts Rapunzel’s hair for her though that is something she never even considered doing, in all her quest for freedom, doesn’t sit well with me. He didn’t have the right to make that decision. [/SPOILER]

Summarising: Disney back in high form. It’s wonderful.

—

*My personal list (based on optics alone) goes something like this: Flynn, Aladdin, Eric, Li Shang, John Smith. Which I’m sure you just needed to know.