Movie Review – Tinker Bell (Mini Review)

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Just Quickly

The first of Disney’s Fairies animated projects sees the star fairy of the Peter Pan story given her own origin – Tinker Bell. Tinker Bell, born at the first laugh of a newborn child, arrives in Pixie Hollow to learn which talent she’ll use to further to work of the fairies on the mainland. Each fairy has a specific talent – water fairies handle water, light fairies handle light, etc etc. Tinker Bell learns that her talent is to tinker, so she joins the fairy guild to learn her craft to assist the other fairies to do their work on the mainland. The primary work of the fairies is to bring the change of seasons to our world, and at first, Tinker Bell is resolutely keen to not be a tinker fairy. She meets several other fairies from different talents and persuades them to try and teach her to use different talents to her own – all with mixed results. In particular, Tink comes up against Vidia, a fast-flying fairy with a hot streak of arrogance, and they do not get along. As the time for Spring approaches, Tink ends up ruining the fairies preparations, before her exceptional talent for tinkering brings a potential savior to the Hollow.

The Result

While it may be a direct-to-DVD production from Disney, Tinker Bell should not be overlooked as a solid piece of children’s entertainment. Sure, its humor is simplistic at best, and the story is bargain-basement Disney sugar, but the production values the film boasts will ensure even the parents watching this for the twentieth time (and I’m among those, I can assure you) will still marvel at the dazzling animation. The voice cast seem more like they’re cashing a paycheck most of the time – Mae Whitman delivers the real heart of the film, yet ring-in’s Lucy Liu, America Ferrera, Kristen Chenoweth and Jane Horrocks seem involved just to have some sort of “celebrity” to the project. Jesse McCartney, voicing a pixie-dust-keeper fairy, has about three lines, although his role is boosted in this films’ immediate sequel, The Lost Treasure. Anjelica Huston does a great job as the motherly Queen Clarion (a name my daughter still struggles with), and Pamela Adlon plays the films’ central villainess, Vidia, with sweet-natured arrogance. Tinker Bell is hardly an effort to watch, and its themes and core values embody everything Disney stands for – you expected something else? Some stunning animation and a blessedly short running-time make this film a keeper for the younger brigade and one they can watch over and over with little effort.

Who wrote this?

Rodney Twelftree

“Some people say I like films. Those people are wrong. I *love* films.” – Me. I said this.

Rodney has been writing about films for well over two decades, appreciates a good wine, the love of his wife and kids, and the affection of his dog and cats. He has a fondness of cheesy 90’s action and classic Hollywood, hates that physical media is disappearing, and wishes somebody would make a high-budget series of The Neverending Story.

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