This is the story of how I died.

Tangled
January 6, 2010 (Australian release date)
Dir: Nathan Greno and Byron Howard

Rapunzel is born a princess but is kidnapped and raised by Mother Gothel as her own. Her magic golden hair has the ability to heal and to keep Mother Gothel young, so Rapunzel is warned to never leave the safety of the tower. On her eighteenth birthday Rapunzel sneaks out of the tower with the help of bandit Flynn Ryder to see the lanterns released into the sky every year on the missing princess' birthday. Rapunzel will soon learn not only of her true identity but of love.

"This is the story of how I died" isn't just one of the opening lines of Tangled, it's a statement about Disney animation and their "Princess films" in the year 2011 ... well, 2010 - thanks to the delayed Australian release.

Tangled is the 50th animated feature from Disney and will now be remembered as the last "Princess" movie to come from the Mouse Factory.

Originally titled Rapunzel, Tangled has been marketed to death as a unisex film, even the poster suggests a cunning adventure, when on screen the adventure takes a back seat to singing and falling in love. In other words, Tangled is classic Disney fairytale ... minus the classic songs.

I can't deny that Tangled is an immensely enjoyable film, heightened by seeing it in a cinema full of kids who can appreciate it on an entirely different level. I may be young at heart, but they're purely young and don't scoff at what my slowly shrivelling heart finds issues with.

Earlier in the year I fulfilled one of my lifelong dreams, I went to Disneyland. Having endured years of scorn and weird looks about my love for animated films, Disney in particular, it would all be worth it as I visited the happiest place on earth. And yet it wasn't the happiest place on earth at all, it was full of fat women pushing prams and screaming, spoilt kids. Sure the rides were fun, but where was this "magic" I had come to expect from Disney? I slowly came to the realisation that Disney "magic" was in the films that I could revisit and rediscover or find new things to enjoy. I'm hoping Tangled is a film that offers more on re-watching, because on the Magic Scale it's currently sitting on a 6.

While I previously said Tangled is "immensely enjoyable" I did have several moments in the film where I stopped watching and started thinking - sometimes a good sign, more often than not a bad sign. I wasn't completely lost in the film; I was aware of its flaws, how its bad songs stuck out (because all of the songs were average), the ending fell flat, the "evil" character Mother Gothel seemed extremely 2D in a 3D film ... the list could go on if I wanted to. And yet I don't, because I feel like I can be lenient when it comes to Disney.

Let's face it, Disney is the first born and Pixar is the new baby everyone fawns over. Disney can't help it if Pixar is cuter, but no matter what Pixar does Disney was always there first. It's like when you visit a favourite restaurant and there's a sign hanging in the window 'Under new management'. Suddenly the food doesn't taste as good as it once did. Disney films will never be as they once were and we just have to accept that. Tangled as a standalone animated film in 2010 (2011) is a great family film. It's funny, the animation is great, the majority of characters are fun - it hardly puts a foot wrong by today's standards. But Tangled as a Disney film when compared to the classics fails to measure up.

My review may read a bit bipolar; perhaps this is because I'm torn with the film. On the one hand I enjoyed it but on the other it failed to live up to expectations. I think Mandy Moore's voice work is the highlight of the film - the casting is spot on. The animation on Rapunzel must be admired and appreciated; all of that hair to animate is a feat in itself. If you get the chance (and live in Melbourne) you must go see the Tangled wing of the Dreams Come True exhibition at ACMI.

Tangled is the second most expensive film ever made, and at $260 million takes the title for the most expensive animated film ever made. Technologically this film is a triumph. The 3D is subtle but effective and you're right there in the thick of the action thanks to brilliant film making. However the story could have been stronger and the characters further developed - giving Flynn Ryder the real name Eugene hardly counts as character development given the film took six years to make. And yet I laughed almost constantly during the film - here comes that bipolar reviewer again!

If it's as simple as 'See it' or 'Don't see it' my vote is to most definitely see it! Yes there are flaws and shortcomings but it's still a great film with plenty to offer. I'm looking forward to seeing if I get more from it on a second viewing but will be leaving the 3D glasses at home and opting for the 2D. (Yes I reuse my 3D glasses - hey I'm not paying a dollar to get a new pair!)