Tangled:

Taking animation to new heights

Ruwini Jayawardana

Dubbed one of the ‘most hilarious and hair-rising’ animations ever, Tangled is probably Walt Disney’s best 3D musical rendition up-to-date. Taking the well loved fairytale Rapunzel to new lengths, the Disney team had given a new twist to the story of the maiden with the endless mane of flaxen hair.

The movie is the work of some of the biggest names in Disney’s creative arena, from composer Alan Menken to multi-Oscar-winning executive producer John Lasseter. Directed by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard, the film’s main characters are voiced by Mandy Moore, Donna Murphy and Zachary Levi.

Utterly charming, visually sumptuous and often witty, the story opens with the mystical fable of a magical flower which grows from a piece of sunlight that had fallen from the sky. An old crone discovers that the flower has the power to bestow beauty and youth on whoever taps into its magic. The queen of the country becomes ill and soon the flower is taken away to heal her. She has a baby and the child inherits the flower’s power. The old woman, Gothel, sneaks into the palace one night and steals the princess.

The lovely young lass is thus imprisoned by the cruel ‘mother’ Gothel in a tall stone tower to protect the girl’s magic tresses that prevent her from aging. On her coming of age Rapunzel’s thirst for liberation overlaps and she sets off on an adventure with the dashing outlaw, Flynn Rider, to solve the mystery of the hundred of fire lanterns released into the sky on her birthday. Also making presence is Disney’s trademark feature - the adorable and loyal animal friends. You get Pascal, the chameleon and Maximus, the royal horse in this mould. It is evident that this updated version of the fairytale is meant for modern day audiences.

It questions the fact that how many parents would keep their children under lock and key with the excuse that ‘they know best’ without letting the kids discover what is right and wrong for themselves. The feisty heroine who, on first meeting Flynn, greets him with a frying pan, is a far cry from the bashful young lass in the old-fashioned Brothers Grimm tale. Gothel’s ambiguous nature too tweaks curiosity.

The 3D features are eye catching as well as pleasant to the sight. An array of rich colours decorates the sets as well as the characters. The plot speeds along smoothly without any loopholes. The songs sparkle and sink into your soul. Witty dialogues and lyrics keep viewers ‘tangled’ in its enchantment.

Tangled is the perfect holiday entertainment for the family as it will make you laugh and cry together. A rare film which can be enjoyed equally by the young and old, Walt Disney’s 50th feature animation rejuvenates the Mouse House’s olden day charm and magic.