Tinker Bell flies high in latest adventure

Thursday, October 29, 2009

In Disney's latest installment of the direct-to-DVD Tinker Bell franchise Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure teaches us a sugary sweet lesson in the power of friendship from the land of Pixie Hollow.

Lost Treasure is a movie targeted to young girls and little more. Keeping that in mind, it is a definite pleaser that has charm and cuteness woven throughout the film. While not a movie and adult would select on a lonely Saturday night, Lost Treasure is perfect for the young lady in your life.

In this computer animated flick, Tinker Bell (Mae Whitman) is entrusted with building the precious scepter that holds the Moonstone and replenishes the Pixie Dust Tree. The Moonstone captures the illumination of the blue moon that occurs every eight years, so Tinker Bell essentially holds the fates of Pixie Hollow in her tiny little hands.

Locking herself away in her house, Tink is joined by Terence (Jesse McCartney) whose helpfulness is well meant, but drives the Tink crazy. After the have a spat, the Moonstone is broken, and since it's the only one in existence, Tinker Bell must find a way to fix it.

A night at the theater provides the answer she needs when the story of a magic mirror that has one final wish locked inside resides North of Neverland. She constructs a balloon and heads out on her quest to find the mirror, make her wish and fix the Moonstone.

On her way, she encounters Blaze, a tiny firefly that accompanies her for the rest of her journey. Along the way she loses her balloon, her food and most importantly her pixie dust supply, essentially stranding her north of Neverland.

After finding the mirror and accidentally wasting her wish, Terence shows up and on their way back to Pixie Hollow, Tink has an idea that will pour down pixie dust like never before.

Where the first movie was a collective effort of many pixies, Lost Treasure is Tinker Bell's movie. Everything revolves around her, and young fans of her female friends will be a little disappointed. Other than that, the second film is much of the same as the first.

The film is fast-paced and filled with silly gigs and great reaction shots of its digital characters. The story focuses on friendship and the power of forgiveness, two things that can never be stressed enough in our current times.

The DVD has a few cool special features that are worthy of a look. It features 16 minutes of deleted scenes, a Backstage Disney featurette "Pixie Hollow Comes to Walt Disney World" and a music video from Demi Lovato. The one feature that has become a staple of animated flicks, but only works with Toy Story flicks, is the outtakes and bloopers. At first it was novel, now it's just plain overdone.

Final Cut: Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure is a charming film that will appeal to the young lady in your household. This franchise definitely looks to be here to stay.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure

Starring: Mae Whitman, Jesse McCartney, Anjelica Huston, Jane Harrocks

Director: Klay Hall

Writer: Evan Spiliotopoulos

Available now on Disney DVD and Blu-ray

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