Tangled

THE PREMISE OF a beauteous maiden cruelly duped by a gnarled old hag with murky morals is a stock-in-trade in fairytale land. This tale, originally penned by the Brothers Grimm in 1812, is made memorable by the heroine’s most remarkable attribute: her magical long tresses. Tangled, the 50th Disney full-length animated feature, is a worthy successor to classics like Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. Disney heroines, though, have come a long way since the damsel-in-distress days. As such, Rapunzel is a feisty gal who gives as good as she gets. The animation has also moved on, with software used to create the swish of Rapunzel’s 70 feet of golden mane and 23 million gallons of virtual CGI water used in an almighty explosion as a dam bursts.

There’s plenty of excitement and drama, some comedy moments with hapless bandit Flynn Rider and a gruff gang of thugs, plus a liberal sprinkling of romance that culminates in the dazzling scene where 46,0000 lanterns light up the sky in stunning 3D-effect. Magic!

Tangled (cert U) is released on DVD on May 23.