Get "TANGLED" by this Appealing Disney Cartoon

[Carl M. Zapffe]

http://www.catsmeowmoviecritic.com/id348.html

"TANGLED" (2010)...A ... Anyone familiar with the childhood fable of little Rapunzel imprisoned in a castle tower will find everything to love about this Disney-animated film which fleshes out the story to an imaginative full length film. This very enjoyable movie is filled with the usual cast of Disney characters accentuated by a few delightful new additions and enough singing to be pleasing, but not so much as to be distracting. 

The witch, Mother Gothel (voice of Donna Murphy), is suitably bewitching as a songstress kept youthful by the proximity of Rapunzel's magical golden tresses. The intrepid hero, Flynn Ryder (voice of Zachary Levi), who rescues Rapunzel from her dungeon in the sky, proves to be a charming rogue as well as a thief who is escaping both from the law and from his own cohorts who he had just cheated. His conscience will soon be tested when he has to choose between a precious, jewel-studded crown and a pretty young girl when neither knows that she is a princess and the owner of that crown.

This being Disney, there are the usual pirates, thieves, and cutthroats, but what makes this cast of characters really special is the inclusion of two new voiceless characters. One is Rapunzel's pet Iguana. He is completely loyal to Rapunzel, so he casts a wary eye at anyone who does not have her best interests at heart. Since she is friendless, this means that he is suspicious of everyone, including Flynn. 

The other thoroughly delightful character is that of Maximus, the powerful and all-knowing steed which used to belong to the Captain of the Guard. Through a quirk of fate, Maximus ends up being the means of transport for Flynn, the very same man who the guards were previously chasing for having stolen that bejeweled crown. Maximus knows a scoundrel when he sees one, so he is sure that Flynn is up to no good. This further evidences that he is an excellent judge of character. The wry and very humorous animation of these two characters pretty much steals the movie from everyone else. Their silent emoting speaks volumes more than the mere words of everyone else.

In another twist to the fable, Rapunzel (voice of Mandy Moore) turns out to be a handful, as she has been taught by her pseudo-mother Gothel that no one outside their castle tower is to be trusted. Add to that a sizable dollop of spunk and the physical ability of a champion gymnast, and Rapunzel turns out to be more than able to take care of herself. What she doesn't know is how to get anywhere, especially to that far away magical place where once a year floating lanterns are released into the sky as dusk falls, a day which just happens to be the very same day as her birthday. 

I can't recommend enough that where possible you see this movie in 3-D, a process which Disney skillfully uses to enhance the story. While there are a few  scenes where the 3-D effects are used for gee whiz purposes, Disney has wisely kept the gimmicky aspects of this medium to a minimum. In short, this film is everything that a Disney movie should be, and more. 100 minutes, and rated PG for brief mild violence.

Carl M. Zapffe,

The Cat's Meow Movie Critic

http://www.catsmeowmoviecritic.com