Barbie as Rapunzel

Barbie as Rapunzel is currently streaming in Australia on Stan, and it uses the format for more than just a visual hook. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. With 1,287 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. A harder one to justify skipping than to start. Available now on Stan — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

There is a reason Barbie as Rapunzel keeps coming up in conversation. The look of Barbie as Rapunzel gets people in the door, but the writing is what keeps them there. Barbie stars as Rapunzel, a young girl who is entrapped by a magical barrier by the wicked, Gothel. Rapunzel finds an escape where she finds a Prince and a feud between two kingdoms which goes back to the day she was kidnapped as a child. Kelly Sheridan and Anjelica Huston bring more to it than the format typically demands. It was released in 2002. The visual gags in Barbie as Rapunzel reward close attention without ever depending on it. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

If you have been sleeping on Barbie as Rapunzel because of the format, the format is not the issue here. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Visually distinctive and narratively ambitious in ways that hold up regardless of format. Worth watching in order from the beginning.