In the land of Corona, a young woman is confined to her home and dreams of the outside world…

Despite sounding a lot like the circumstances many of us are facing in the present-day, this premise is actually the fantasy set-up for Tangled, Disney’s adaptation of the Rapunzel myth.

Tangled is a delightful film which blends classic Disney romance, music, and fun with a surprisingly dark and socially conscious plot. It tells the story of Rapunzel, a princess with magical powers who was kidnapped as a baby by the villainous Mother Gothel and grows up unaware of her royal heritage. Confined day and night to a tower in the wilderness, she yearns to see the world which her ‘mother’ has warned her is so terrible. But when a dashing outlaw appears in her tower, Rapunzel persuades him to guide her to the source of the sky lanterns which appear on her birthday each year, defying her mother’s wishes and venturing out into the unknown.

This film is a joy to watch: the characters are charming and amusing, the animation is beautiful, and the action scenes are inventive and playful, with Rapunzel’s ability to use her hair like a whip bringing a distinctly Indiana Jones feel to proceedings.

Furthermore, the romance between Rapunzel and not-such-a-tough-guy Flynn Rider is sparky and endearing, culminating in a stunningly romantic sequence in which the tentative lovers confess their feelings for each other on boat at sunset. The glowing sky is reflected in the surface of the water around them, dissolving the horizon line and locating the characters in a seemingly infinite expanse of pink and gold light. It is gorgeous, inspired imagery which elevates the film and expresses the relationship between Rapunzel and Flynn in a way which makes words unnecessary.

But it’s in the abusive relationship between Rapunzel and her kidnapper-turned-mother that Tangled really sets itself apart, highlighting the subtly manipulative cues employed by Mother Gothel to control and oppress her daughter. This representation of parental gaslighting in a children’s film gives Tangled an urgent social relevance that other films of its ilk may lack, whilst also creating an extremely dark, complex, and compelling central dynamic.

Of course, this film is not perfect: there’s a noticeable lack of diversity in both cast and characters; and although the musical numbers are well-executed and catchy, the songs sometimes felt unnecessary to me, as though they had been included in order to adhere to Disney tradition instead of enhancing the film.

Nevertheless, Tangled is a fun and enchanting ride, offering viewers of all ages a welcome respite from the pressures of life in the lockdown-era.  Not only does the film provide escapist animated high-jinks to distract our minds from the difficult present, but it also plays out the desires of our cabin-fevered minds, showing the excitement and wonder of our heroine as she explores the beauty of the outside world.

Tangled is available on Disney+