Thursday 24 February 2011

Tangled up in Fun


For one of my course option's I have had to write a review on a topic of my choice. Having seen 'Tangled' at the cinema recently, I decided to review it, as it is honestly one of the best light - hearted films I have seen in a while. Hopefully you enjoy my review, and if your considering going to see it, you should!

The latest Disney animation to hit the box office is loosely based on the classic fairy tale ‘Rapunzel’, by the Brothers Grimm. As a 20-year old who has grown up on a diet of Disney, I had high expectations for the film that I just weren’t sure would be met; but I was enraptured within moments.
Taking its cue from previous Disney classics such as ‘Sleeping Beauty’ and ‘Cinderella’ the plot follows a beautiful young protagonist who is prevented from living a full and normal life by an evil villain, but who is eventually saved by a dashing young man.
Disney’s newest Princess is depicted as a teenage girl who is both scared and exhilarated at disobeying the villain Gothal, who is masquerading as Rapunzel’s mother in order to benefit from the magical qualities Rapunzel’s long golden locks possess.  Gothal pretends the outside world is cruel and evil, and forbids her expressly to leave the tower.
Rapunzel is played by Mandy Moore to great effect, as an extremely personable and witty Princess. She is shown at times to be opinionated and strong – willed, a departure from the classic damsel in distress role that Disney princesses of old were often confined to.  The movie also benefits from two very funny animal sidekicks, a horse named Maximus and a chameleon called Pascal. The male saviour and narrator Flynn Rider is a flawed thief, but he changes over the course of the film as the romantic relationship develops.
The film is quintessentially Disney in look and style, yet uses modern CGI effects to make the 3D movie as realistic as possible. It is enriched with colours, shapes and intricate details, such as the inside of her painted tower, with certain scenes as beautiful as a painting. The film also follows Disney tradition by incorporating original songs throughout, resulting in some irresistibly catchy musical numbers, particularly the song “I’ve got a Dream” which has the potential to be a classic like ‘The Little Mermaids’ ‘Kiss the Girl’ original song.
Whilst overall I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, I do not think that the villain Gothal lived up to the archetypical Disney antagonist, such as Ursula or Maleficent, as I was often confused as to whether she actually loved Rapunzel, or if she was solely using her for her magical hair. This conflict in character made it hard to see her in an overtly sinister light; the movie would have been more enjoyable if she was a truly evil and terrifying character.
This Disney film is enjoyable at all ages, and even as an adult viewer, I found myself tearing up at the sad moments, and wanting to join in with the rousing chorus’s. It uses the best in technological advances, yet follows the format of great Disney films that have come before. It is an imaginative and original take on an old tale, which has all the makings of a new Disney classic.



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