LIHU‘E — She has never gotten to step outside, and has spent a lifetime in the company of a witch thanks to her enchanted hair. But Disney’s pristine version of the kidnapped princess Rapunzel, though she could embody the characteristics
LIHU‘E — She has never gotten to step outside, and has spent a lifetime in the company of a witch thanks to her enchanted hair.
But Disney’s pristine version of the kidnapped princess Rapunzel, though she could embody the characteristics typical of a damsel in distress, is no shrinking violet. In fact, when a humorously overly dapper thief escapes the clutches of the law and climbs into Rapunzel’s tower, we learn it’s the blonde princess who possesses the ability to get the two out of several sticky situations — and in a fashion atypical to the usual Disney plotline, it’s Princess Rapunzel who ends up rescuing the thief time and time again.
And that’s about as off-the-fairy-tale track that “Tangled” gets, as the rest of the story follows the traditional path of fables: Kidnapped princess falls in love with handsome hero, and the two overcome the wicked witch to live happily ever after.
However, the movie, unlike the book upon which “Rapunzel” is based (a German fable featured in the Brothers Grimm publication of children’s allegories) doesn’t get too dark, and is infused with several musical-like scenes, as well as comical exchanges.
As an infant, Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) receives the magical qualities of a special flower coveted by a witch-like character, Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy), who kidnaps the princess from the loving arms of her royal parents and convinces her that she is in fact her mother.
Over the next 18 years Rapunzel is told she must stay in the tower to remain protected from the rest of the world who might be after the magical powers of her hair, which grows to be some 70 feet long. Meanwhile, the princess sings to her “mother” while Mother Gothel brushes her hair, which enables the witch to stay young. When Rapunzel finally asks the witch if she can venture outside to see a town celebration with paper lanterns (which is actually a tradition done in homage to the lost princess) she is told she will never leave the tower. That is when she convinces the witch to go on a trip to gather seashell paint, at which point the princess tries to convince the thief Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi) to take her to see the lantern celebration.
Of course, it turns out the two fall in love.
But not without several cute adventures involving songs, almost-first-kisses, and high-paced horse chases, escapes and rescues. But better than its cuteness is what it does graphically and with great animated prowess. Whether it’s one of several fight scenes between Rider and the horse, Maximus (done with enough destruction of a dam to surely be a “Tangled”-inspired Disneyland or Disneyworld water ride in years to come), or an underwater scene in which the two almost drown in pitch black but the water is illuminated from underneath by her hair (which is probably even better in the off-island, 3-D version), the movie is just simply beautiful frame after frame. Add to that the quick-witted, spry candor in the dialogue, and the movie makes for an overall, crowd-pleasing event for the whole family.
