by Abigale Simon

Tangled is a 2011 animated movie that tells the story of the Disney princess, Rapunzel. Rapunzel was taken as a child and locked in a tower by her kidnapper, Mother Gothel. Rapunzel is known for her extremely long, blonde hair. She herself did not have powers, but her hair did. Mother Gothel used Rapunzel’s special hair to keep herself looking young and beautiful. The movie follows Rapunzel as she approaches her 18^th birthday and wishes to see the lanterns. In an unexpected turn of events, she meets a man, Flynn Rider. Flynn sees she wants to see the lanterns and decided to take her on the adventure of a lifetime.  

Now this may just sound like a regular Disney princess movie, but it does not even compare. Tangled is by far one of the best Disney princess movies. Every aspect of the movie is perfectly made and executed. This movie was Disney animation studio’s 50^th animated featured film. It was also the studio’s first fairy tale musical to be created using 3D CG animation. The way the characters were drawn, the colors they wear, the setting, all just work so well. The movie writers created Rapunzel to be such a loving character that everyone adores. Her curiosity and creativity are admirable, not to mention her kindness & determination. I have never met anyone who has said they hate her character. She is such a good character for the younger audience to look up to, as she teaches these kids to persevere and never give up.  

Flynn Rider and the love story in Tangled is a key part of what makes the movie so great. The introduction of Flynn Rider is an iconic moment in the movie. We get a sneak peek into his past and part of his personality. When we first meet him, he may be seen as a character who carries a bad past. As we get to know him, we can’t help but love his character. The way he cares for Rapunzel and wants her to experience the lanterns is sweet, but it is also the fact that he wants her to stay safe and not get in trouble that makes it even better. One of the greatest parts of the movie is seeing how they slowly fall for each other. At first the audience doesn’t see it, but there are parts of the movie where we can see the love, they have for each other. The romance aspect of the movie is one of the main reasons it is in the top 3 Disney princess movies. 

Overall, Tangled is an iconic movie that will always be one of Disney’s greatest princess movies. The moral lesson behind the movie tells us to never give up and to not let anyone hold us back from reaching our goals. When looking at the animations and writing of Tangled, it looks like just another Disney princess movie. After taking the time to look into each character and what the true message of the story, we see that the movie is even better than what is on the surface.