Tangled

Are We Sure This Is A CG Film?

This was a film I was ready to either dislike, or think was completely standard. I was not happy when I heard the film would be CG animation instead of traditionally hand-drawn, I did not think the title needed to change after being called "Rapunzel", and I guess I let my petty complaints get the best of me. I finally saw the film thanks to Netflix instant, and I'm glad I did. Tangled  is a damn good film.

While I do not usually care for CG animation over hand-drawn, I have enjoyed these films before, and not just the ones from Pixar or Dreamworks. Ice Age  comes to mind. But what makes this stand out from all of the other CG films I've seen is that this one feels like traditional hand-drawn animation. There is nothing stiff or realistic about the CG, it is instead completely smooth and cartoonish. I love the way this film looks and feels. Could it have worked if the film had been hand-drawn? Very much so. But I can't help but adore how stylistic this film is, and hope to see more CG films like it in the future. In the least, it would mean the creator's made sure to put time and effort into their creation.

As a Disney Princess film, it works as well. Our protagonist is fun, cheerful, and easy to root for. Our villain is despicable, mean, and terrifying when she wants to be. Our love interest is dashing, clever, and a thief. Yes, this film actually has a thief as our love interest, and he knows it, and reveals in it. He's not a villain per say, but he is not too toned down. And for once, in these kind of romances, the heroine completely knows he's a crook. There is no scene in the movie were Rapunzel finds out her love is a thief and calls him a liar, she knows he's one from the start, he never hides the fact. I like this, it makes the film feel different, but not as much as the fact the two animal leads are completely silent. They do great visual jokes, but they never speak, even though they act like cartoon animals.

My biggest complement, this is a movie that deserves it's PG rating. The PG rating is stamped on almost any film nowadays. But I think the creators wanted PG from the start, and if they did, it shows. Scenes featuring blood is realistic and intense, nothing gory, but nothing like a prick on the finger either. The action is slapstick, for the most part, but nothing too intense that I would call it PG. Still, I would actually agree with the MPAA that the film would need to be toned down a little for a G rating. But this film excepts it's PG rating, and makes sure it earned. My hat is off to the film makers.

My rating is a 3.5 out of 5. If you've got a little daughter or a son, they will enjoy this movie. Although you daughter will be more likely to admit it. If you don't, such as myself, then it's a fun film and worth a rental, possibly a purchase.