While the film is obviously aimed at kids, there are a few jokes and witticisms sprinkled here and there which the kiddies will not understand but which will entertain those of us who are much older kiddies.
As this is the introductory film (and we haven’t met any of the other fairies before), there needed to be a fair amount of character development and showing the relationships between all the different fairies. I think the screenwriters balanced that with the plot quite well, giving each of the main secondary characters enough screen time to give us a good taste of who they each were.
The animation is pretty well done, with good texturing and detail in all the right places. I think John Lasseter, who was an executive producer on this film, had a hand in influencing that as well as sorting out a good story which could be enjoyed and not seem too trite for the older crowd.
The music worked well with the story and didn’t overwhelm it. Joel McNeely did a good job capturing the magic of Neverland, as well as giving a few nods to the original Peter Pan film from Disney (the screenwriters did the same).
The film delivered a good message, though I won’t discuss it in further detail here as that would give away a fair bit of the plot. Suffice it to say that I don’t know any parents who would dislike the general message of the film (not to say there aren’t any out there who would, just that I don’t know any of them).
Another saving grace of the film: the director didn’t try to stretch the film and make it longer than it needed to be. At 78 minutes, it’s a quick watch, yet that’s all it needed to work. Tinker Bell is an enjoyable film for kids of all ages. I’m looking forward to the next film in the series, due out in 2014.
Release Date: September 18, 2008 (USA)
MPAA Rating: G
MySF Rating: Three point zero stars
Family Friendliness: 100%
Alcohol/Drugs: 0
Language: 0
Nudity: 0
Sexuality: 0
Violence: 1 (wild thistles, fairy mayhem, nothing too horrible)
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