TINKER BELL AND THE LEGEND OF THE NEVERBEAST
DIRECTOR: Steve Loter
VOICE CAST: Anjelica Huston, Ginnifer Goodwin, Mae Whitman, Lucy Liu, Raven-Symoné, Rosaria Dawson, Mel B
CLASSIFICATION: G (General Viewing)
RUNNING TIME: 76 minutes
RATING: ***
TINKER BELL on the big screen continues to surprise. Six films in and it is still not only a watchable series, but cute, sweet and surprisingly poignant.
The computer-generated graphics are not quite on a level with Pixar or Dreamworks, but they are a major step up from films like Barbie or even the most recent Tarzan movie with its frozen- faced characters and their gliding steps.
Released straight onto dvd in most territories, the Tinker Bell movies make it to the big screen locally and are liked by boys and girls alike.
While the green-clad Tinker Bell (voiced by Mae Whitman) remains the anchor of the stories, each of the first four full-length films is centred on a different season. From number five (Tinker Bell and the Pirate Fairy) we learn more about Tink’s fairy friends.
There are several new characters who explore new and old spaces.
In the Legend of the NeverBeast we learn more about Fawn the animal fairy, now voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin. Fawn is a big believer in not judging an animal by its fangs, so when she discovers the NeverBeast she does not dismiss him out of hand as scary and therefore a threat.
The Scout Fairies, tasked with protecting Pixie Hollow, have other ideas once they discover the NeverBeast. So Tink and friends try to help Fawn and there is much flying back and forth as the NeverBeast builds weird structures and does its own thing.
The surprisingly poignant part comes in at the end, and adults can see where the storyline is going right from the beginning, but the pacing is good and the theme is clear – don’t judge a book by its cover or jump to conclusions based on half-baked theories.
It is wholesome and adorable and children will find the Fawn fairy easy to identify with. She follows her heart and struggles to slow down and think things through first. But, she has a good heart, is incurably inquisitive and very loyal towards her friends.
KT Tunstall provides the theme song and the incidental music has enough variety to keep you listening, while the animation is colourful and detailed.
Adults will find the film predictable, but we are not the audience; it is aimed at little children who will be enchanted by the feisty Fawn and her helpful friend Tinker Bell.
If you liked Tinker Bell and the Pirate Fairy you will like this.