Disney still reigns when it comes to romantic animated features and this one is definitely a keeper for years to come

Rating: 10/10 (5 April 2011)

Tangled's got everything you'd expect from a fairy tale movie. Obviously you've got the Princess, the dashing Prince-like love interest, the evil motherly figure, the quirky townsfolk and of course, the expansive castle. Originally titled 'Rapunzel', it's based on the classic German fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm of a magically long-maned Princess who's locked in a tower by her wicked, selfish 'mother.' Disney apparently changed the title to be more appealing to boys who might be deterred from seeing a Princess flick. They also argued that Rapunzel isn't the only main character in the film, as Flynn Rider is also featured prominently in the film. Instead of a traditional prince, Rider is a thief on the run who stumbled upon her and inadvertently changed her world forever.
Whether or not the title-switch tactic worked, this one was a real winner for Disney. It's grossed more than half a billion dollars worldwide, more than double the cost to make. Yep, 'Tangled' cost $260 million to produce, perhaps a lot of it goes to the 3D rendering, and it shows. The Wiki article mentioned that the filmmakers combined 'the best of both worlds' of CGI technology and traditional hand-drawn animation Disney's famous for and the result is impressive. This is by far one of the most picturesque and colorful animated features I've ever seen and the animation is smooth and seamless. I really was in awe of how gorgeous every scene is, with the night scene of the two main characters on a boat surrounded by lanterns. It was nothing short of magical.
This Princess flick has come a long way from the classics as far as the character goes. Rapunzel is a heck of a lot more assertive and strong but never losing her naiveté and vulnerability. She's bubbly and vivacious but not dim-witted. Her interaction with Flynn from the moment they met is endearing right from the start, but it's refreshing to see that she's not immediately swooning over the guy despite he's the first one she's ever met. Flynn is the typical charming bad boy, self-seeking at first but finds his heart over time. Voiced by Mandy Moore and CHUCK's Zachary Levi, it's a lovely combination that's supported by an equally wonderful supporting cast. In fact, the two non-talking animal characters, Maximus the horse and Pascal the little chameleon are such lovable and memorable creatures, while Tony-award-winning Donna Murphy is excellent in the voice role of villainous Mother Gothel.
As with any Disney's works, especially when 8-time-Oscar-winner Alan Menken is involved, the music is one of the best part of the movie. All the musical segments are lively and just pleasing to the ear, with 'I See The Light' as my absolute favorite, it was such a lovely duet. The lantern scene when the song appears is my favorite as well, yes it's on the schmaltzy side but you'd be hard pressed to deny its charm.
Tangled's plot reminds me a bit of 'Little Mermaid' (a girl longing for freedom and Pascal is like the new Sebastian) and part of 'Sleeping Beauty' (she's separated from her parents all her life), but yet it's still a pretty unique story that kept me laughing and crying throughout. I also like the fact that Disney keeps this one pretty clean and wholesome, as a lot of animated features these days are filled with crude jokes and inappropriate innuendos. By the end I was totally enamored by this movie and the Blu-ray is now on its way from Amazon :)
Disney still reigns when it comes to romantic animated features and this one is definitely a keeper for years to come.