This charming Disney feature, the 50th effort from their animation studio, is certain to be a hit with audiences young and old. As a playful adaptation of the German Rapunzel story, it features the voice of Mandy Moore as the long-haired heroine who is kept in a tower away from the outside world by her temperamental adopted mother. The sudden arrival of a gorgeously handsome thief (whom she hits repeatedly with a frying-pan in one hilarious, though surprisingly violent, scene) gives her the opportunity to escape for a few days and travel to see a dazzling festival of floating lanterns.
This may sound nauseatingly cute and twee, but the overall effect is fresh, funny and lively, with some stupendous musical numbers from experienced Disney composer Alan Menken. For those who want to show off their new TV’s capabilities, the Blu-ray version of the film looks nothing short of stunning in brilliantly colourful high-definition.
The plot may be a little too predictable for more hardened viewers, and the lead heroine is so sweet and happy some viewers may want to slap her rather than cheer her on, but for the majority this winsome treat is likely to inspire that childish joy only the best animated adventures can conjure.
Tangled (2011), directed by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard, is available on DVD and Blu-ray from Walt Disney Studios, certificate PG.
