We're all familiar with the classic fairy tale of Rapunzel. In a nutshell, there's a princess with super long hair trapped in an old tower who is saved by a handsome prince who climbs her hair to rescue her. But what happens when you throw a little Disney magic into the mix? You get an instant Disney classic.
"Tangled" is a fun-filled movie perfect for nearly any audience with humor and entertaining characters which hold your attention. My personal favorite character is Pascal, the silent and funny chameleon. Before Flynn Rider stumbles on Rapunzel's tower, Pascal is Rapunzel's only friend.
The movie starts with the birth of the beautiful, golden-haired princess, Rapunzel (Mandy Moore). Shortly after her birth, Rapunzel is kidnapped by the evil witch, Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy), for her magic hair. It is Mother Gothel who locks Rapunzel in the tower, hoping to keep her there forever. Her plans would have succeeded too, if a certain thief didn't happen on the scene.
Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi) is a handsome, young, daring thief running from the palace guards for stealing the missing princess' crown. In his haste to escape, Flynn just happens to choose the wrong place to hide -- Rapunzel's tower. Rapunzel and Flynn strike a deal in which Flynn will guide Rapunzel to see a display of lights on her birthday, and Rapunzel will return the crown to Flynn once they have arrived safely back at her tower.
Armed with her dreams and a frying pan, Rapunzel leaves her tower for the first time. The pair's quest leads them on an unforgettable adventure with some surprising outcomes. Although definitely not the latest thriller, "Tangled" is a heartwarming story about a girl chasing her dreams and learning to stand on her own two feet.
I would recommend "Tangled" to any Disney fan. It has all the qualities of a Disney princess movie: a dreamy prince, some magic and a happily-ever-after. You can tell that it is newer than the original Disney princess movies such as "Beauty and the Beast" or "Cinderella," but I still loved it. There are fun animal sidekicks along with the happy, light music of princess movies past, just a bit more modernized.
The songs in "Tangled" are catchy and upbeat. I really liked "I Can See the Light," the love song that Rapunzel and Flynn sing part way through the movie. I knew Mandy Moore could sing, but I had no idea Zachary Levi had any musical ability. I am a big fan of Levi in the TV series "Chuck" and learning that he could sing only made me like him more.
I also loved the song Mother Gothel sings as she tries to convince Rapunzel that there is nothing but danger outside her tower: "Mother Knows Best." Although we know she's a wicked witch who is entirely selfish in her desires to keep Rapunzel hidden, that song almost makes you believe she really is an overprotective mother trying to keep her child away from all the bad things in the world.
My only complaint about the entire movie is that I didn't think it was worth seeing in 3-D. There were a couple of neat 3-D effects such as water spraying at you during one of the commercials or a realistic butterfly half way through the movie, but overall, it left much to be desired.
Regardless of the 3-D letdown, I loved this film. It was easy to get into and fun to watch, and made me remember being a little kid listening as my parents read me the story of Rapunzel.
If you're looking for a happy, easily enjoyed movie, "Tangled" is the film for you.
Hillary Slaughter is a junior at Layton High School. She loves reading, crafts and "the great outdoors." You can reach her at hilleymae@hotmail.com.
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