Where Tangled seemed to have ended with some sort of finality, there was enough demand for a follow-up short “Tangled Ever After” which focuses on Rapunzel and Eugene’s wedding day. Demand for more Tangled stories bring us to the newly launched “Tangled: The Series” on The Disney Channel. Leading into this is the television movie “Tangled: Before Ever After” which takes place before the series and offers up a couple of interesting twists.
First the story picks up six months after the events of Tangled. Rapunzel is having a tough time adjusting to her new life. As her coronation day approaches she isn’t sure this is the life she wants. Then Eugene proposes marriage and Rapunzel has a crisis of identity.
All of this leads up to the event which gives Rapunzel her magical flowing blonde hair again. And it is impervious to being cut.
The animation style is different from the movie, which is a good thing. By trying to emulate the computer animation of the film on a television budget would draw comparisons that would be unfavorable.
Returning to voice their characters are Mandy Moore as Rapunzel and Zach Levi as Eugene. Entering into the world are Julie Bowen as the Queen and Clancy Brown as the King, Rapunzel’s parents. In another notable new role is Eden Espinoza as Cassandra, Rapunzel’s lady in waiting. There are a number of other notable names, but I am unsure if they are for this one (short) film or if they are are returning for the full series.
I found myself enjoying Tangled: Before Ever After more than I thought I would. There is a mystery at the center of it all regarding Rapunzel’s hair and time will tell if the series can successfully finish that storyline without dragging it out too far but I am optimistic. The characters are well done and the spirit of the original movie is captured quite well.
For special features we only get four shorts of a couple minutes each which are done in the same animation style as Tangled: Before Ever After. I wonder if these were meant to be interstitials between programs on the Disney Channel. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of them. And I know this is just a DVD release of a series pilot, but I would have liked a featurette about continuing the story of Rapunzel and Eugene and the challenges the creative team faced.
As it is Tangled: Before Ever After is a decent continuation of the franchise that fans should not pass up.