Genre: Fantasy/Animation
Release Date: 25 November 2010
Distributor: Walt Disney
Running Time: 100 minutes
Directors: Nathan Greno, Bryon Howard
Producers: Roy Conli (Executive); John Lasseter, Glen Keane
Writers: Don Fogelman (screenplay) based on story by Brothers Grimm
Casts: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy
Plot: "Rapunzel" is an action-packed, swashbuckling, animated musical comedy about the girl behind 70 feet of magical, golden hair. A princess stolen from her parents' castle as a baby, Rapunzel is locked in a hidden tower longing for adventure. Now an imaginative and determined teenager, she takes off on a hilarious, hair-raising escapade with the help of a dashing bandit. With the secret of her royal heritage hanging in the balance and her captor in pursuit, Rapunzel and her cohort find adventure, heart, humor, and hair... lots of hair.
THE VERDICT
Rapunzel or Tangled or whatever you want to call it; represents Walt Disney's 50th animation feature that does not have any tie-ins with the Pixar Animations. Not in particular purpose I want to compare this to any Pixar's but from the time when the first Disney animation back in the year 1937; over the years, Disney has handled many fairy tales and the time seems imminent that someday, this Brothers Grimm's beloved character who owns a magical long hair would soon has its own unique touch from the Mickey studio. Yes indeed and the time has arrived and that time is now. Rapunzel may not be as great as the other classical fairy tale movies from the studio but by far it is still a movie that knows how to spell a good charm on its own and presenting a spectacular animation experience.
The story-wise of the adapted movie is a very loose and re-imagination of the classical tale of Rapunzel. SPOILERS BEGIN: Contrary to the original tale, the movie begins with the first sunray shines upon the land and a magical flower blooms. The flower holds the magical power of healing and youth. A witch, Gothel, decided to use it to keep herself young, but the only time the magic worked is when she would sing the flower a song. Centuries later, the island kingdom's royal couple is expecting a child; only to much despair the queen is dying. Hearing upon the legend of the flower, the whole kingdom looked for the mysterious flower.
The flower eventually healed the queen and she gave birth to a princess whom they named Rapunzel, gifted with golden hair and healing ability. Avenging for lost of the flower, Gothel kidnapped the princess and raised her in the isolation tower deep in the forest, constantly brushing her hair and telling her that the world is a cruel and evil place into which she should never go. Curiously, every year on Rapunzel's birthday, she peeped through the window from the tower, looking up at the sky for strange lights floating from the city. Rapunzel constantly begged her 'mother' to let her step outside to the world, only to turn into the deaf ears of her 'mother'. SPOILERS END
Rapunzel: A Tangled Tale marks another fruitful adaptation and reimagination that again tweaks the familiar story we have ever heard and turning it into a charming yet beautiful movie. Unlike the original story written by the Grimms in the 19th century, the movie has no radish, evil witch or peasant couple. Simply, the movie develops on its own way but retaining the effortless need in taking in again the royal elements with it. We have never failed to see another castle that looks like the one in Disneyland over the years, well, it is not a bad thing after all. You may say this is just another re-telling into the fairytale in Disney's way but it is more than that. Similarly, last year's The Princess and the Frog worked well in the same way because not only it presents an unique adventures, it tweaks the familiar tale with enchanment and pleasing musics to play along the plot.
The story is truly authentic when it comes to pleasing the audience. Disney has yet again, never fails to deliver a charming yet soulful story. You may argue but I would love to say that Disney has always done something that no other studio dares to do. Once, there is a notion that an animation mains to be a laughing stock of entertainment, with the silly or ridiculous story that meant for entertaining. However, Disney did not, again, followed those pattern, instead it establishes a worthy movie to watch. Tangled blends a well storytelling that recaps the traditional and timeless beauty while maintaining a sensible and contemporary style of romantic plot. To much or not much of a surprise, there are some swashbuckling action accopmanied, thus broadening the scope of the movie it plays.
It comes to no worst that the visual is truly stunning. The visual looks fantastic even if it is not in 3D. However, the only crucial point that Rapunzel fails to follow is that it lacks the genuine emotional tie-ins of a movie from the Pixars. In Pixars, their movies are always dwelling deep about the essential hidden emotions but Rapunzel is a few notched behind. However, there isn't much to lose after all. The solid musical pieces are nevertheless a great consolation to sooth on. After all, this is Disney's animation - something that you can truly trust and it seldom fails. Rapunzel is one of them.
THE RATING
Story - 4.0 stars
Casts - 4.0 stars
Cinematography - 4.5 stars
Effects - 4.5 stars
OVERALL - 4.0 stars
GREEN-TEA-O-METER: 16.6
RAPUNZEL: A TANGLED TALE is tangling the cinemas nationwide beginning this week
