Back to the Core of Fairy tales

Rating: 9/10 (14 December 2011)

Unlike many fairytale animations of today, Tangled manages to go back to the deep roots of fairy tales. The mother-daughter relationship between Rapunzel and the witch, and the naiveté of the Rapunzel during her years in the tower is dark and eerie in rudimentary levels. Unlike bogeys, monsters and exaggerated evils, it touches to an inexpressible cord inside us. But that darkness doesn't make you feel depressed as well, as the goodness (even in Gothel to some extent), the sunshine of the tower's pretty dweller and her positive spirit reflected on the life and decoration of the tower balances it.
Fairy tales indeed touch to the very deep cores of humanity, family relations, the boundaries of childhood, pain of growing up, the good and evil.. that's why they survived for centuries. Tangled is more successful in delivering the true soul of a fairytale than many animated adaptations, especially in the first part.
The tower and its hidden small valley is quite atmospheric; and all the other settings are well designed. They deliver the feeling of a fairytale and an ageless style well. Rapunzel is a very likable heroine. The film also has a fun but forgettable bunch of side characters like a horse with exceptional mimics and a surprising Eros.