The Bottom Line
It’s hard to deny that Disney’s animated offerings as of late has been somewhat disappointing, especially when compared with the stellar output from Pixar and DreamWorks Animation. But with Tangled, the studio’s 50th animated film, Disney has taken a massive leap into the 21st century with what is undoubtedly their best and most entertaining film in years – with the movie easily ranking alongside such Mouse House classics as Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. From the catchy songs to the gorgeous animation to the note-perfect voice performances, Tangled has all the ingredients to become a bona fide animation classic in the years and decades to come.
Pros
- A timeless animated film that appeals to all ages
- Breathtaking animation is heightened by flawless transfer
Cons
- Relatively disappointing assortment of bonus features
Description
- Featuring the voices of Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, Ron Perlman, Jeffrey Tambor, and Brad Garrett
- Directed by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard
- Rated PG for brief mild violence
- Blu-ray Release Date: March 29, 2011
Guide Review – ‘Tangled’ Blu-ray Review
The Story
Based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale Rapunzel, Tangled opens with the theft of a little baby by an evil witch named Gothel (Donna Murphy). The baby, Rapunzel, has the ability to restore youth with her magical hair, which is exactly why Gothel keeps her locked up in a hidden tower for the first 17 years of her life. On the eve of her 18th birthday, however, Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) decides to see for herself just what lies outside her tower and she enlists a reluctant rogue named Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi) to be her guide.
The Bonus Features
Tangled, unfortunately, doesn’t come with an enormous selection of bonus features, though the folks at Disney have still managed to compile a decent assortment of behind-the-scenes featurettes and a variety of other movie-related items. First up is a 12-minute making-of featurette entitled Untangled: The Making of a Fairy Tale. Hosted by Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi, Untangled contains a number of tidbits relating to the production – including the revelation that the film boasts the biggest crowd scene in Disney history. Next is a short but entertaining look at Disney’s lineup of animated movies (50th Animated Feature Countdown) and a collection of nine minute-long promos for Tangled (three of which feature crudely-animated “earlier stories” for Flynn Rider).
The remainder of the disc is devoted to a series of deleted scenes and sequences, starting with two “original storybook openings.” Both of these unused (and unfinished) openings are quite fascinating, as they provide a glimpse into what could have been. Next up are three deleted scenes totally 12 minutes, with accompanying introductions from directors Nathan Greno and Byron Howard. These are interesting, certainly, but it’s easy enough to see why they were eliminated. Finally, the disc comes with extended versions of two songs: “When Will My Life Begin” and “Mother Knows Best.” The set also boasts a copy of the film on DVD.