Quite simply superb. I had no idea how – being honest I never thought that – they could top the thrills of Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue, but somehow they did it.
And yes, on the face of it, it’s a simple story of a young fairy finding the fairy sister she never knew she had, having various snow-related adventures together in the company of cuddly animals, and eventually saving the fairy dust tree from destruction by a cold snap, but peel away the layers and you find a razor-edged investigation of loss, rebellion, friendship, forbidden love, and how snow is actually delivered in hand-woven baskets by owls. Labour intensive, but beautiful.
I guess if I had one small criticism it would be of the ending, in which SPOILER Tinker Bell’s broken wing was mended with a device that felt a little deus ex machina to this viewer, adding a slightly saccharine false note to what had, up to that point, been a near perfect balance between a superficial shininess and a deep undercurrent of loss and pain. Damn those studio executives and their fumbling populist fingers! Still, overall, magnificent. The characters may be fairies, but it’s all about what it means to be human.
17 comments so far
Now you must write a fan fiction of Tinkerbell and Glokta going on an adventure together.
Can’t beat a Disney film! 😛
Not the type of review that I have come to associate with your blog, but welcome none the less. Got to love Disney movies!
………..I can , and often do . I find an 8 iron works best .
I pictured Glokta, (played by Steve Buscemi, obviously) sarcastically reading this review to a room full of Practicals.
Simon Pegg (in a fat suit) plays Practical Frost, of course.
And Judi Dench as Practical Vitari.
Feel free to use these casting suggestions as a rough guide – when the day comes, Joe. When the day comes.
Err.. Judi Dench is like 80 and Frost was pretty huge if I recall correctly.
“Pass me the branding iron, Practical Frost…”
“The brandingth iruhn?”
“Yes, I want to see what it does to fairy wings.”
This is awesome. Not a movie one might expect to be discussed by you, but this is a neat run-down. Goes to show what depth can be achieved, even under a shiny pink cover.
Just a few days after your great review of 2012 you deliver another great review of a masterpiece of modern cinema.
Having kids (or nieces and nephews) gives one the opportunity to watch the really great stuff 🙂
This makes me want to do the Baby Bop Hop….
But in a good way.
Wow, your film critiques are certainly varied!
I wonder how Disney will now milk the Star Wars franchise. They can’t do any worse than the stinking turd that Lucas squeezed from his backside for the prequels.
You never know, they might be ok..
I wanna see you deconstruct “A Serbian Film” now.
This reminds me of when my older brother (he’s got two kids) saw Captain America and he told me he loved it. I knew he’d been watching too many kids movies. Poor guy. And poor you, Joe.
Joe you should see Django Unchained, it’s Tarantino’s best since Pulp Fiction in my opinion.
Thank you for this. I laughed so hard at this review. My daughter loves this movie a whole lot. Unexpected though for this site…
I felt it was a brave move by Disney to reveal that Tinkerbell had a sister.
Makes you wonder what else they’ve been hiding…
Suprise suprise, what an unexpected review on your blog. Quite amusing. Hope your next book isnt about fairies…except they’re bloody as hell. “Daddy, why all the fairies and swords?” 🙂