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Since the first Tinker Bell movie was released in 2008, Peter Pan’s fairy friend and the rest of the fairies of Pixie Hollow have built quite a loyal following. But in the sixth Pixie Hollow feature, Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast, Tinker Bell (voiced by Mae Whitman) steps into the background while her animal fairy friend, Fawn (Ginnifer Goodwin), gets a story of her own.
Fawn just can’t resist an animal in need—no matter how dangerous that animal may be. So when she encounters a big, mysterious beast who needs her help, she doesn’t hesitate to lend a hand. But problems arise when the queen’s elite team of scout fairies identify Fawn’s new friend as the NeverBeast—a rare creature that threatens to destroy Pixie Hollow.
Fawn doesn’t believe that the lovable creature she’s named Gruff could do any harm. So, with help from Tink and the rest of her fairy friends, she sets out to save him.
The focal character may be different this time around, but the theme is still a familiar one. Like Tinker Bell (and Zarina, too), Fawn is a free spirit—a fairy who sometimes bends the rules in her quest to learn about the world around her. But while that often gets her into trouble, her kind heart and inquisitive nature also end up doing good in the end—once she learns that she needs to listen to her head as well as her heart.
Fawn’s adventure is certainly action-packed—and the franchise’s production value just keeps getting better, with animation that’s crisper and more detailed than ever before. But the journey can sometimes be a scary one—especially for younger viewers. When Fawn first encounters the mysterious beast, he’s big and frightening, with a terrifying roar. And though viewers will quickly fall in love with the endearingly surly creature, the story takes a dark and menacing turn toward the end that might have little ones hiding their faces in fear. While other films in the series have found the fairies in danger—they wouldn’t be very interesting without a little bit of trouble—the danger here (and the imagery that accompanies it) is easily the scariest yet, though the story’s heart still comes through loud and clear in the end.
Meanwhile, throughout this latest adventure, fans of the franchise may find themselves missing some of their favorite characters. Not only does Tinker Bell play a minor part in the action, but other characters are missing, too—like Tinker Bell’s lovably bumbling pals, Clank and Bobble. Though there are plenty of new and returning characters to replace them—from Rosario Dawson’s head scout, Nyx, to Thomas Lennon’s bookish Scribble (who played a part in 2012’s Secret of the Wings)—they can’t quite fill the void.
As Tinker Bell’s fan base continues to grow—and grow up—so does the series. Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast is filled with action, adventure, imagination, and heart. But don’t pack away your old Tinker Bell movies yet. You’ll want to keep them handy—because while the new characters add some depth to the franchise, you might find yourself missing the old ones.
Blu-ray Review:
Little animal lovers will love the Blu-ray release of the latest Pixie Hollow adventure. After all, while the special features menu does include a few behind-the-scenes features—like a handful of deleted scenes and the short making-of feature, 5 Essential Ingredients to Getting Gruff—some of the best features focus on kids and animals.
In My Dad’s Movie: The True Story of the NeverBeast, director Steve Loter takes a trip to the Santa Barbara Zoo with his daughter, Callista, the animal-loving inspiration for the movie. Jeff Corwin offers a peek at some bizarre creatures in Jeff Corwin’s Guide to Real-Life NeverBeasts. And Fawn gives a musical lesson about groups of animals in the adorable Tink’n About Animals.
While some animated movies fill their special features menus with grown-up extras, Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast talks to the kids. So if your little one loves animals as much as Fawn does, be sure to take some time to explore the film’s extras.
