"Tangled" may not be from Pixar, but I'm of the opinion that it deserves as much love as a Pixar film from Disney does. Because as a film that hasn't been animated from the famous sub-company, it's surely a breathtaking absolutely imaginative fairy tale that conquers the Rapunzel and adds its own post-modern twist. Though I was initially horrified that this would be a simple "Shrek" clone, "Tangled" is very much in touch with Disney's sensibilities. It's more a fairy tale than a comedy and really plays on fate and destiny like traditional Disney tales than trying to hurl self aware comedy at us every single second the film plays. "Tangled" takes a rather boring story and adds a twist to it by offering up more in depth characters and plays on coincidence teaming together two lovelorn selfish individuals and giving them a reason to care for someone else outside of their own needs. That's what "Tangled" is essentially about: two people who find something to care for beyond themselves and the tangled mess that occurs when they decide to compromise and help one another.

Rapunzel is a beautiful young girl stolen from her mother and father, the king and queen, when she was just a baby and is locked away by her evil foster mother Gothel and used as a way to keep the evil woman eternally young thanks to a magical song that can brighten Rapunzel's hair. Fate comes in to play when Flynn Rider, an inept master thief, happens in to her tower in an attempt to escape the royal guards of the palace. Unaware he's stolen Rapunzel's rightful crown to the throne, he crosses the frightened Rapunzel who bargains with him to take her to the kingdom and witness a ceremony for the lost princess.

At times while it does feel like a Dreamworks pop culture fest, it's much more clever in that it relies on the characters' wits to deliver the humor rather than wink at the audience. Rapunzel is such a gorgeous and lovable young girl, but she's also eccentric to the point where she battles villains with a frying pan and experiences numerous personality changes that make up most of the hilarity with Flynn. All the while Flynn is your classic dashing hero from Disney paired with modern quirks and dysfunction that make him a man worth admiring but a saclliwag deep down. Stars Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi have wonderful chemistry and give fantastic performances, complimenting the beautiful animation that possesses its own unique touches to the character models without trying to ape the style of Pixar or Dreamworks. If there is one caveat, it's the forgettable musical numbers that don't do the film any favors. Disney used to specialize in catchy music, and "Tangled" fails to muster up a remotely memorable musical number in the bunch, relying on over complicated lyrics that won't have kids singing along any time soon. Nevertheless, "Tangled" is a short and sweet fractured fairy tale that succeeds in laughs, love, and sharp animation and I had a blast.