The Gist:
Tinker Bell’s (voiced by Mae Whitman) good friend Fawn (Ginnifer Goodwin) creates a stir when she brings a predator into Pixie Hollow to care for. The ‘Eagle incident’ soon sees her cop the wrath of Queen Clarion (Anjelica Huston) and the fairy in charge of security, Nyx (Rosario Dawson) which leaves the young fairy wondering whether or not her kind heart makes her act without using her brain.
She soon finds herself torn again however when she stumbles across the mysterious NeverBeast, a creature that she has never seen before. While she decides that she needs to study the creature it soon becomes apparent that the NeverBeast may not be a welcome creature in Pixie Hollow.
The Review:
While animated franchises like Ice Age and Madagascar have dominated the box office over the last decade or so Disney has also had a smaller franchise that has chugged along nicely and never really delivered a bad film. Sure the Tinker Bell franchise doesn’t exactly set box office records nor does it dominate headlines but then this is a series aimed at young girls who are too young to be going out and buying the latest video game or expensive electronics so it has really been a franchise that has been left to its own devices and enjoyed by its fans… and some film critics alike.
Sadly despite the fact that the Tinker Bell franchise has never had a weak spot it does look like the latest film, Tinker Bell And The Legend Of The NeverBeast, may be the finale as Disney is yet to commit to a seventh film. If that is the case than it will be a bit of shame seeing that fans of the star herself, Tinker Bell, might be a little miffed at why this Tinker Bell film doesn’t centre around the green fairy but instead centres around her friend, Fawn.
Despite that fact however it is hard to fault the film which was written and directed by Steve Loter (who strangely enough also worked on Kevin Smith’s Clerks animated series). Once again the film is entertaining from start to finish and while it doesn’t reach the heights that Tinker Bell And The Secret Of The Wings it still has enough charm to flow along nicely, and yes even contains an ending that may or may not bring a tear to the eyes of both adults and children alike. Like the other films in the franchise Tinker Bell And The Legend Of The NeverBeast is not afraid to take the young viewers on a journey that will see some well placed morals drilled into them as well. Topics such a stranger danger are there for all to see, while dig under the surface a little and you will also see the screenplay pushes across valuable lessons in preventing cruelty to animals and also not judging people (or creatures in this case) for looking a little bit different to the way you do as well.
Once again this film also manages to again bring a big name voice cast to the table as well. Mae Whitman reprises her role of Tinker Bell and franchise regulars Anjelica Huston, Raven-Simone and Lucy Liu. This time however we also see current ‘it’ girl Rosario Dawson take on the role of the tough Nyx while Once Upon A Time star Ginnifer Goodwin plays the sweet natured Fawn, revealing a natural talent as a voice actress.
The Verdict:
If the Tinker Bell franchise is to come to a close with Tinker Bell And The Legend Of The Never Beast than it is a bit of a shame. While the film isn’t weak at all, the fact that it doesn’t centre around the main character of Tinker Bell will be a little sad for the fans of this amazing series. With suspense and emotion littered all through out the script this film once again shows one of this is one of the better franchises doing the rounds.
Certificate: U
Directors: Steve Loter
Starring: Mae Whitman, Ginnifer Goodwin, Rosario Dawson, Lucy Liu, Anjelica Huston
Running Time: 76 minutes
Release Date: 12th December 2014
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