Untangle It.

Rating: 9/10 (5 February 2016)

Tangled (2010): Dirt: Nathan Greno, Byron Howard / Voices: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, Ron Perlman, Brad Garrett: In the tradition of Hoodwinked here is another animated twisted take on a fairy tale. The theme is authority as Rapunzel is born with hair of healing power due to a rare flower used to heal her mother before her birth. She is kidnapped and raised in isolation within a tower by a woman who uses Rapunzel's singing power to render her youth. Animation is colorful and dazzling and directors Nathan Greno and Byron Howard have a field day with tampering with the original concept. Mandy Moore voices Rapunzel, sheltered from the outside world by an evil hag. Now eighteen she desires to see the lights that only appear on her birthday. These lights are actually lanterns issued by the King and Queen in hopes that their daughter will one day return. Zachary Levi voices a thief named Eugene whose theft of a crown leads to shelter in the tower before being ambushed by Rapunzel. She makes a deal that will allow him to keep the crown if he will take her to the strange lights. This leads to a tremendous twist ending that honors sacrifice and surprise. Donna Murphy voices the hag whose loss of the age flower led to her kidnapping Rapunzel and corrupting her mind, but her defeat works best due to its method. Ron Perlman is also on board as well as Brad Garrett but many of these roles are cardboard. While it satirizes the fairy tale effectively it also creates humour and adventure to the appeal to families whom will want to get tangled up in it. Score: 9 ½ / 10