| Flynn Rider | |
|---|---|
| Tangled character | |
 Flynn Rider as he appears in Disney'sTangled. | |
| First appearance | Tangled (2010) |
| Created by | |
| Voiced by | |
| Portrayed by | Nick Pankuch (Tangled: The Musical) |
| Inspired by | The Prince from theBrothers Grimm'sfairy tale |
| Age | 26 |
| In-universe information | |
| Full name | Eugene Fitzherbert |
| Alias | Horace (birth name) Flynn Rider |
| Title |
|
| Occupation | Thief (at beginning ofTangled) |
| Family | King Edmund (father) |
| Spouse | Rapunzel |
| Relatives |
|
| Nationality | Kingdom of Corona |
Eugene Fitzherbert, bornHorace and known by the aliasFlynn Rider, is a fictional character who appears inWalt Disney Animation Studios' animated filmTangled (2010), its short 2012 filmTangled Ever After, and the 2017 television seriesRapunzel's Tangled Adventure (previously titledTangled: The Series). The character is voiced by American actorZachary Levi, who decided to audition for the role upon learning that he would also be providing the character's singing voice. Levi's duet with singer and co-starMandy Moore, "I See the Light", would go on to become the actor's first professionally recorded song and musical debut.
Loosely based on the prince in theBrothers Grimm fairy tale "Rapunzel", Flynn is awanted thief who seeks refuge inRapunzel's tower after stealing a crown.Blackmailed by Rapunzel into taking her to see the kingdom'sfloating lanterns in time for her eighteenth birthday, Flynn undergoes a change of heart as he gradually begins to fall in love with Rapunzel. Flynn was created byscreenwriterDan Fogelman anddirectorsNathan Greno andByron Howard because they felt that the incarcerated Rapunzel needed someone to escort her out of the tower. He was conceived as a thief as opposed to atraditional prince in favor of making him a funnier and edgier character. Originally written as a British farmer, Flynn was ultimately developed into aswashbuckling thief inspired by fictional charactersHan Solo andIndiana Jones, and actorsGene Kelly andErrol Flynn; the alias Flynn Rider was named after the latter.
Flynn has divided film critics. While some reviewers enjoyed the character's refreshing humor, rebelliousness and sarcasm in comparison to traditional Disney princes, others found his personality to be annoying and obnoxious, while panning his narration. Additionally, Flynn has also been strongly accused of being amarketing tool exploited by Disney to attract a larger male audience toTangled. However, both the character'sromantic comedy-esque relationship with Rapunzel and Levi's vocal performance have received widespread acclaim.
FilmmakerWalt Disney himself had first attempted to adapt theBrothers Grimm fairy tale "Rapunzel" into a feature-length animated film during the 1930s and 1940s.[2] However, the project was eventually abandoned because the original fairy tale was considered too "small".[2] When they were first approached to directTangledin 2008,[3] directorsNathan Greno andByron Howard decided that it would be best "to blow up the scale of the film" and transform it into a "big event", while updating and modernizing the story for a new audience.[2] Flynn was conceived because the directors felt that "Rapunzel needed to get out [of the tower] ... So she needed to meet a guy to take her to where she's going."[4] In the original fairy tale, Rapunzel's love interest is a prince.[5] However, Greno and Howard decided to make him a thief – dubbed "a subtle yet startling twist for Disney" byThe New York Times[6] – to avoid creating a character who is too "safe", opting for a funnier and "edgier"antihero instead.[7][8] Greno elaborated, "When you look back at some of the past Disney princes ... a lot of them are kind of soft and they're not like people we think are that cool," continuing, "They're good guys, so I guess we sort of took that to the other extreme."[9] However, some of the filmmakers themselves were concerned that Flynn was becoming too edgy.[10] Greno revealed that "There were people ... who were a little worried because they were hearing these rumors, 'Well, it's not a prince it's a thief. He's kind of a ladies' man, and he's very arrogant.'"[10] Greno summarized Flynn's conception and development toOrange:[11]
When we were putting it together and trying to figure out who Flynn Rider was in this movie, we looked at a bunch of different sources ... When you look back at some of the past Disney princes or something, a lot of them are kind of soft and they're not like people we think are that cool, I guess. They're good guys, so I guess we sort of took that to the other extreme. We like cocky, arrogant sort of characters, and I think there were people in our building that were a little worried because we were up in the story room and they were hearing these rumours of, well, it's not a prince, it's a thief, and he's kind of a ladies' man and he's very arrogant ... But, I think the trick is when you're creating a character like that, if you have this cocky character, you have to hit him over the head with a frying pan a dozen times or something, and he needs to kind of pay for being that way. Those characters, if they're done right, can be so funny. On the flip side, if they're not done right, they can be really off putting.
— DirectorNathan Greno on Flynn's conception and subsequent development.
Originally, Flynn was conceived as a British farmer named Bastian until his voice actor was finally cast.[12] The directors cited actorsErrol Flynn andGene Kelly,[13] andStar WarscharacterHan Solo, among several individuals by whom Flynn was inspired.[9] Greno explained that "Having Flynn as a thief seemed like a fresh spin, especially in contrast to Rapunzel, who is a really smart girl but is just locked away in this tower. So she has a very limited world view and Flynn could complement that as this worldly guy."[14] The film's change in title fromRapunzel to the moregender-neutralTangled is due in part to Flynn's role and involvement.[15] First observing that the Disney tradition is "to name the movie after the Princess", the directors had initially thought that the film "would be structured likeCinderella where there'sCinderella and then aPrince that pops into the movie once in a while". This changed, however, as Flynn was gradually developed into a much more prominent character.[4] Howard explained that "When Nathan and I figured out that this film was really about two characters, Flynn and Rapunzel, we knew that changing the title would be a good idea."[2] Meanwhile, the titleTangled summarizes the relationship between protagonists Flynn and Rapunzel, and antagonistMother Gothel.[15] Additionally, Flynn also narrates the film, providing it with "an ironic counterpoint", according toChildren's Literature and Learner Empowerment: Children and Teenagers in English Language Educationauthor Janice Bland. As "an example offirst-person voice-over narration", Flynn's narration "compels the viewer to identify empathetically with" Flynn and Rapunzel.[16]
Greno and Howard were not particularly interested in casting solelyA-list actors as the voices of main characters Flynn and Rapunzel.[17] Instead, the directors simply searched for actors who had "the right voice" for these characters.[18] Writing forReelViews, film criticJames Berardinelli felt that the directors' decision mirrored "Disney's approach during the late 1980s and early 1990s, when big name stars were often bypassed in favor of lesser known talents".[19] Hundreds of actors and singers auditioned and were considered for the role of Rapunzel's love interest,[20] among them comedianDan Fogler andAmerican IdolalumClay Aiken.[12][21][22] However, the role of Flynn Rider was ultimately won by American actorZachary Levi because he, according to Greno, "nailed" his audition.[2] Levi auditioned for the role after he first received a telephone call from his agent informing him about the film. Identifying himself as "a huge Disney nut", Levi was immediately "sold" on the project.[23] His interest was further cemented by the fact that he would also be providing the character's singing voice.[24] Additionally, Levi appears to have a history playing male "characters who are surrounded by tough, strong women".[25] Required to audition a song in the style of a singer-songwriter, Levi decided to performJames Taylor's "Sweet Baby James" for the directors.[26]
When Levi was first cast as the voice of Flynn, the character had been scripted as a British farmer at the time, requiring Levi to voice him with aBritish accent until Flynn was eventually developed into a bandit with anAmerican accent.[12][27] Although Flynn and Rapunzel share several scenes together during the film, Levi and singer Mandy Moore, his co-star who provides the voice of Rapunzel, recorded virtually none of their dialogue together due to scheduling conflicts, which Levi cited as one of the challenges he endured while working on the film,[18] in addition to having to star in the television seriesChucksimultaneously. Levi's starring role onChuck required the actor to constantly "shed a character and take on another character and shed that character and then go back to something else".[24] However, Levi and Moore did meet on one occasion to record their romantic duet "I See the Light",[25] Levi was not intimidated by the thought of recording the song, describing the experience as "an added bonus".[28] However, he admitted to having been nervous to sing with Moore, a professional singer, and working with composerAlan Menken.[8] Although the actor identifies himself as "no stranger to singing" due to his background in musical theatre, Levi's performance of "I See the Light" is considered to be his "big singing debut" because it was his first time recording a song professionally.[29][30]
It took Levi approximately one year to record all of his dialogue due in part to his busy schedule.[31] Levi recorded once every six weeks for six hours at a time,[25] recording each of his lines at least twice.[32] The actor's voice ultimately helped shape and develop Flynn's character. Howard explained, "He's so smart and clever, and hisadlibs are so great, and you like him straight away ... he brings that to Flynn."[7] On Levi's own influence on his character, the actor explained that Flynn's "voice was really just a slight variation of [his] own". Wanting to sound "more appropriate" for the film's medieval setting, Levi "cleaned up [his] own diction and made things a little bit more polished",[23] referring to Flynn's accent as mid-Atlantic.[24] DescribingTangledasa "veryfamily friendly" version ofRomancing the Stone (1984), Levi studied and channelled the film's star, American actorMichael Douglas, and English legendRobin Hood.[24] However, when Levi heard his performance in its entirety for the first time after the film's release, the actor admitted that he was ultimately dissatisfied with his performance, explaining, "I felt like I sounded incrediblynasally and I was plugged up,"[32] likening the experience to hearing one's voice played back on ananswering machine.[31]
Greno and Howard wanted Flynn to be funny and sarcastic as opposed to snarky.[7] One occasion in particular involved an animator having Flynn respond to Rapunzel's excitement by simply walking away from her in silence. The directors did not like this because, according to Greno, Flynn "did this reaction where [he] treated her like she's nuts". Although both directors agreed that Flynn's reaction was funny, Greno and Howard wanted the characters to "connect" emotionally during this scene.[33] ScreenwriterDan Fogelman said that Flynn is "at his best ... when he's playing little mind games with other people and entertaining himself along with them", likening him to English actorCary Grant. Fogelman concluded, "At his heart, he's really kind of a lost soul who doesn't quite know what he wants and who he is."[25] Howard cited fictional charactersFerris Bueller andIndiana Jones as influences because these characters, like Flynn, "are skilled but have a human side to them".[14] Flynn is considered an antihero because "He is quick-witted and agile, stealing to survive" and "he is also extremely narcissistic".[34]
Originally, the character resembled a "burlier leading man", described by Greno as "a muscular commoner/farm boy". However, the directors had always envisioned Flynn as "a dashing thief".[2] To assist with the development of Flynn's design, Howard and Greno held a large meeting with thirty ofTangled's female employees. Calling it the "Hot Man Meeting",[35] the employees were encouraged to "bring in pictures of their favorite hunky men".[36] The Hot Man Meeting was created because the directors, who found that they were very much impressed with Rapunzel's design, felt that "Flynn [needed] to be up to [Rapunzel's] level".[2] Greno described the Hot Man Meeting as "crazy", elaborating, "Photos of all the hottest men in Hollywood [were] being thrown around a room. Photos being torn in half and pasted back together. Eyes were ripped from one picture and put on another. Heads were torn from photos," concluding, "I've never seen anything like it."[2] Howard cited American actorClark Gable and English footballerDavid Beckham among several celebrities by whom Flynn was influenced during the meeting, joking that the employees eventually "started using Nathan and me as examples of whatnot to do".[36]
Defending Flynn's personality, Levi explained that "Deep down, Flynn has a good core, although that characteristic is brought out of him through the purity, love and naiveté of Rapunzel." The actor concluded that "These are two very different characters that end up learning a lot from each other on a rather crazy adventure."[26] According to Colin Covert of theStar Tribune, Flynn "teaches [Rapunzel] about courage".[37] Rob Vaux of Mania.com described the character's relationship with Rapunzel as a "partners-in-crime sort of chemistry, filled with mischief and the odd pratfall while establishing a rhythm wholly their own."[38] Rapunzel eventually convinces Flynn to go by his birth name, Eugene Fitzherbert, which Conny Eisfeld described in her bookHow Fairy Tales Live Happily Ever After: (Analyzing) The Art of Adapting Fairy Tales as "more humane".[39] Stephen D. Greydanus of Decent Films Guide called Flynn "a charismatic bad boy", comparing him toSinbad fromDreamWorks'Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003).[40] Similarly,The New York Times' Brooks Barnes felt that "Making the leading man an unlikable thief is a subtle yet startling twist for Disney, and Flynn ... is glib in a way that many people now associate with DreamWorks."[6] On Flynn's thievery,Entertainment Weekly'sLisa Schwarzbaum determined that the character "only steals because he's basically a nice-guy underachiever who needs a better outlet for his leadership abilities".[41] According to Tison Pugh, author of The Disney Middle Ages: A Fairy-Tale and Fantasy Past, Flynn "amalgamates thecomedy-action hero with the swashbuckling romantic sensations of Errol Flynn, layering them over a fairy-tale hero attributed with comedic lines that undermine the romanticnostalgia of the film's setting",[42] while serving as a source ofcomic relief at times.[43] Steve Persall of theTampa Bay Timesbelieves that Flynn carries "most of the [film's] modern humor".[43] Likewise, Jennie Punter ofThe Globe and Mail described Flynn as the film's "main source of action, humour and, eventually, romance".[44]
Flynn debuted inTangled (2010) as a sought-after bandit who discovers refuge in Rapunzel's secluded tower after stealing a crown. There, he is captured and blackmailed by Rapunzel, who hides the crown to convince Flynn to guide her to the floating lanterns in time for her eighteenth birthday, whileMother Gothel, her vain, controlling kidnapper, is absent. Flynn is pursued by a police horse namedMaximus; the vengeful Stabbington brothers, two betrayed accomplices of his; and Gothel, who grows increasingly obsessed with retrieving Rapunzel to continue using her magic hair to stay immortal. Meanwhile, Flynn falls in love with Rapunzel and undergoes a change of heart. He attempts to reconcile with the Stabbington Brothers, but they hand him over to the officials, who sentence him to death, while Gothel takes Rapunzel away. Maximus helps Flynn escape and return to Rapunzel's tower to rescue her. Flynn finds Rapunzel tied up and gagged, and Gothel fatally stabs him before he can help. Rapunzel convinces Gothel to let her use her hair to heal Flynn, promising to be Gothel's slave forever if she is allowed to do so. A dying Flynn protests the deal, and cuts off Rapunzel's hair with a shard of glass when she tries to heal him. Gothel withers and disappears when the hair is cut, and Flynn dies, but Rapunzel's tear contains enough magic to revive him. He returns Rapunzel to her birth parents, the King and Queen, who grant Flynn a full pardon. He and Rapunzel later marry and he vows to turn over a new leaf and give up thieving.[45]
Flynn appears in the five-minute short filmTangled Ever After, which focuses on his marriage to Rapunzel. The plot follows Pascal and Maximus as they lose the wedding rings and make a frenzied search to recover them.[46]
Flynn also appears in the 2017 television seriesRapunzel's Tangled Adventure. It takes place between the feature film and the shortTangled Ever After.[47] Over the course of the series, Flynn struggles with trying to find the perfect moment to propose to Rapunzel, eventually deciding to wait until she is ready. The series also brings to light some of Flynn's past and former friends, revealing more of his backstory. Later, the Captain of the Guards, who initially disliked Flynn, steps down from his position and promotes Flynn to the spot, much to his surprise. He considers the position before finally accepting the title, forever leaving his criminal past behind him.[48] In the series finale, Flynn finally proposes to Rapunzel in the same spot he fell in love with her; out in the Corona lake on a boat.[49]
Flynn appears in the short filmOnce Upon a Studio, waiting by the door to theWalt Disney Animation Studios building asMickey Mouse flies out withDumbo. He is shown with Rapunzel during the group photo.[50]
Flynn and Rapunzel make a cameo appearance inFrozen, where they are seen joining the guests atElsa's coronation.[51]
Flynn Rider appears inKingdom Hearts III, with Zachary Levi reprising the role.[52]
Kirk Baird ofThe Blade described the character as irresistible,[53] whileColumbus Alive's Brad Keefe called him "loveable".[54] Georgie Hobbs ofLittle White Lieslauded Flynn as "a hero invested with enough colour to liven up what could have been amonochromatic role".[55] Margot Harrison ofSeven Daysconcluded that the character is "better than a prince".[56] Meanwhile, Amy Nicholson ofInland Empire Weekly reviewed the character as a significant improvement upon traditional Disney heroes, writing, "If anything,Tangled is hommepowerment—one more step forward in Disney's slow march to treat male suitors like equals, from its early nameless princes ... to here, a dude with a full-on personality and nearly equalscreen time."[57] Tyler Hanley of thePalo Alto Weeklyobserved that "Flynn talks in a laid-back way that helps make his character both likable and relatable".[58] Ian Bunting of theDaily Recordconcluded that although "Male characters sometimes get shortchanged in Disney movies ... Flynn is one of their better efforts to add toAladdin,Mowgli andthe Beast."[59] Virtually an equal amount of critics were less impressed with Flynn. Anthony Quinn ofThe Independentdescribed the character as a "fop",[60] while Tom Huddleston ofTime Out called him "bland".[61]The Scotsmanwrote, "it's a shame the prominence of Rapunzel's wayward love interest ... needlessly distracts from" the film.[62] Michael Phillips of theChicago Tribunecalled Flynn "a second-rateNickelodeon TVpunk".[63] Jeff Meyers of theMetro Timesdismissed Flynn as not "all that heroic".[64] TheHouston Chronicle's Amy Biancolli quipped that Flynn's "sensitivechin fur, and the way he talks out of the side of his mouth – makes him look likeDick Cheney at apoetry slam".[65] TheLos Angeles Times'Kenneth Turan believes that the film's "initial shakiness" is "amplified by the irritating and overly glib nature of" Flynn.[66] Accusing the character of "lacking both superficial and emotional individuality", Jake Coyle of theSouthtown Starpanned Flynn as "rather obnoxious",[67] Dan Kois ofThe Village Voicedismissed him as "vanilla".[68] Flynn's narration has also been widely panned. Joe Williams of theSt. Louis Post-Dispatch referred to it as "flippant".[69]A. O. Scott ofThe New York Times described it as "annoyingly smart-alecky".[70] Justin Chang ofVarietydescribed the character's openingmonologue as "clunky".[71] William Goss ofMoviefone compared Flynn to "a modern-dayChris Evans/Pine type, and his glib narration – combined with a hasty prologue – almost makes it feel like writer Dan Fogelman is trying too hard to make this a boys' AND girls' club". However, Goss relented, "The voice-over tapers off, though, and Levi proves to be a suitably cockyfoil to theneurotic love interest."[72]
Disney presents the Rapunzel/Flynn relationship as gag-strewn romantic comedy – she hits him several times with a frying pan before they have their first conversation. Once they do start talking, however, writers and animators fashion some fairly decent road-movie chemistry – Flynn takes the sheltered Rapunzel out to see the world (and perhaps meet her real parents) in a protective way, she punctures his exterior of false bravado, they fall in love.
— Much of the character's praise was directed towards his relationship with Rapunzel, as mentioned by Gary Thompson of thePhiladelphia Daily News.[73]
Meanwhile, critics lauded the character's relationship and chemistry with Rapunzel enthusiastically, likening it to that of aromantic comedy. Writing for theMountain Xpress, Ken Hanke felt that "what works best is the interplay between the two leads", concluding, "these animated characters are frankly more believable and charismatic than the human ones in ...Love and Other Drugs."[74] Sandie Angulo Chen ofCommon Sense Media wrote that the characters' "relationship is built on mutual respect and trust, something completely missing in many earlier Disney movies."[75]The Miami Herald's Rene Rodriquez opined, "Even though they may seem to beboilerplate fairy-tale heroes, you genuinely come to care about Rapunzel and Flynn and root for them to be together,"[76] while Joe Neumaier of theDaily News simply called their relationship "cute".[77] Ted Fry ofThe Seattle Times wrote, "The back-and-forthbanter of what inevitably becomes acourtship is consistently witty and given extra sparkle from adroit characterizations by Moore and Levi."[78] Similarly, Cathy Jakicic, writing for theMilwaukee Journal Sentinel, opined, "Moore and Levi, meanwhile, breathe new life into the classiclove-hate romance."[79] Colin Covert of theStar Tribunefelt that both "characters are equally strong and funny".[37] Ann Hornaday ofThe Washington Postwrote that the characters' relationship makes the film "engaging".[80]BuzzFeed author Arielle Calderon compiled "19 Reasons Rapunzel And Flynn Rider Are The Best Disney Couple", citing their meeting and opposite personalities among them.[81]Babble.com ranked Flynn and Rapunzel among the "Top 10 Cutest Disney Couples".[82]
Levi's performance has garnered widespread acclaim from critics, who enjoyed the actor's comedic delivery and singing voice.[83] Praising the directors' decision to "[bypass] big-name stars in favor of lesser-known talent",TV Guidedescribed Levi's performance as "charming, roguish, and, well, generic enough".[84] Similarly, Mike Scott ofThe Times-Picayunewrote that Levi "comes off as an exaggerated, narcissistic version of the rascallyTory Belleci from TV'sMythBusters", complimenting the fact that "the cast's names are less than household stature".[85] Rafer Guzman ofNewsdaydescribed Levi's performance as "terrific".[86]ABC Online appreciated the fact that "the voices of the hero and heroine were not recognisable", concluding, "Zachary Levi and Mandy Moore ... do a really good job on the voices".[87] Dustin Hucks ofFilm School Rejects wrote that Levi "creates a significant amount of range and emotion with his voice that truly makes the suave thief with a heart of gold Flynn pop on the screen". Hucks went on to call Flynn "one the better [Disney heroes] that have come out of the Disney stable in quite a while".[88] Mathew DeKinder of theSt. Louis Post-Dispatch appreciated the comedy in Levi's "quick-tongued delivery",[89] whileRolling Stone'sPeter Travers wrote that the actor "does a nice job" as Flynn.[90] James Luxford ofThe Nationalwrote that both Levi and Moore "adeptly flesh out what could have been basic characters",[91] whileDigital Spy'sSimon Reynolds described Levi as "excellent as the rogueish hero".[92] Stephen Whitty ofThe Star-Ledgercalled Levi "a surprisingly perfect choice for the self-mocking Flynn".[93] Also pleasantly surprised, David Nusair ofAbout.com wrote that "Levi effortlessly captures the character's transformation from a vain (yet charismatic) rogue to a compassionate love interest".[94] Praising the actor's singing voice, Jim Vejvoda ofIGN described it as "impressive".[95]
Flynn is often regarded as one of Disney's most attractive heroes. In 2012,Vanity Fair conducted a poll for which readers were asked to vote for the sexiest Disney hero of all-time. Pairing Flynn againstPrince Eric fromThe Little Mermaid, Flynn beat his competition by less than one percent, garnering 50.35 percent of the total votes.[96]E! ranked the character third in its article "The Definitive Ranking of Disney Princes Based on Overall Dating Eligibility".[97] Writing forSeventeen, YouTube personalityTyler Oakley ranked Flynn the sixth most "dateable" Disney prince. Oakley joked, "I like a man who is unaplogetically himself", continuing, "If you gotta go around with a fake name ... then you're simply not on my level."[98] BuzzFeed author Louis Peitzman ranked Flynn the fourth most attractive Disney prince, praising the character's hair and eyebrows in 2013.[99] BuzzFeed also ranked Flynn second on the website's list of the "Top Ten Hottest Male Cartoon Characters", calling him a "bad boy with a heart of gold".[100]
Critics harshly criticized the film's controversial change in title fromRapunzeltoTangled.[6][71] Holding Flynn's role and characterization partially responsible for it, they accused the character of being amarketing tool manipulated by Disney to attract larger male audiences via the film'strailers.[16][64] Writing for theLos Angeles Times, Dawn C. Chmielewski observed thatTangled'smarketing campaign involved "amp[ing] up the role of the dashing Errol Flynn-styled male lead to share the spotlight with the golden-haired namesake of the classic Brothers Grimm story".[101] Tom Charity ofCNN received Flynn as "an attempt to lure boys and men into the theater".[102] One of the film's trailers features Flynn "trying to win over ... Rapunzel by giving her 'the smolder'" while "emphasiz[ing Flynn's] ... action components ... over the more girl-oriented fairy tale stuff", according to Christian Blauvelt ofSlant Magazine.[103][104] Jennie Punter ofThe Globe and Mailfelt that Flynn was "obviously designed to keep the young male audience from spurning yet another princess movie".[44]Richard Corliss ofTimemocked the film's marketing and the idea that "The trailers suggest that the movie is anaction comedy about a roguish guy ... whose mission is to storm the tower and free the girl inside."[105] Referring to the film's title as "idiotic", Matt Neal of theStandard-Examinerwrote, "Disney claims it changed the film's title fromRapunzel toTangled to emphasise Flynn Rider's role in the film ... but that title-change excuse doesn't fly."[106] Similarly,A. O. Scott ofThe New York Timesreceived Flynn as a "hijacking of a princess's tale", panning the character as "a crude commercial calculation, a sign to the anxious boys in the audience that things aren't going to be too girly, or to Disneyphobes that the studio can bring someDreamWorks-style attitude."[70] Claire Martin ofThe Denver Postfelt that Flynn's sole purpose in the film was for potential merchandising opportunities, specifically to "takeKen's role as [Barbie's] male arm candy".[107]
Empire's Helen O'Hara defended Disney's claim "that the new title reflects the fact that [Tangled] is very much atwo-hander, with Mandy Moore's innocent but (inevitably) feisty Rapunzel and Zachary Levi's street-wise yet clueless Flynn sharing the lead". O'Hara went on to argue that both characters "get decentcharacter development too, and base their growing love story on more than asingle longing glance".[108] Todd Hertz ofChristianity Todayobserved that "Disney changed the film's title and showcased the swashbuckling Aladdin-meets-Robin-Hood character who replaces the original story's prince", but felt that "Luckily, these marketing moves don't compromiseTangled's phenomenal storytelling or considerable charm. Hertz concluded, "Still, the movie wisely takes a page from Pixar's playbook to fill the movie with so much well-done slapstick humor, action, goofy characters, and genuine fun that boys won't feel like the ads gave them the old bait-and-switch to trick them into a 'girl' movie."[109]
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