JIM reviews film “TINKER BELL AND THE LOST TREASURE” -- Peter Pan would have been PROUD of her growth =

2009, 10-24:

“TINKER BELL AND THE LOST TREASURE” — Peter Pan would have been PROUD of her growth =

Director: Klay Hall

Writer: Evan Spiliotopoulos

Rating: 7 of 10 stars (based on an advance screening). Run-time: Around 81 minutes.

This film represents an “UPGRADED” & modernized image for Peter Pan’s helper, with adjunct work by Disney’s Pixar group + animation work seemingly done by a bunch of people in India. Please understand, it was made for KIDS (many of whom were at the full-house screening), & I’m rating it accordingly (as to its success at “reaching” its intended audience).

As to the story: There’s a Fall harvest Festival coming up, & Tink (voiced by MAE WHITMAN) is given an assignment by Fairy Queen Clarion (ANJELICA HUSTON) to design a special scepter for the event, using a rare Blue Moon globe (entrusted to her by Fairy Mary – played by JANE HORROCKS) to create it in order to hopefully produce a specially powerful Blue Fairy Dust.

Tink’s fairy friend Terence (JESSE McCARTNEY) tries very hard to help her with the design and production of the scepter, but Tink proves very impatient, somewhat spoiled & prone to blame OTHERS for problems she herself helps cause. At times, she talks to other fairies such as Silvermist (LUCY LIU), Rosetta (KRISTIN CHENOWETH), Iridessa (RAVEN-SYMONE), the Minister of Autumn (JOHN DiMAGGIO), & others.

Does Tink learn to accept HELP from Terence & others? Does she find the “Lost Treasure”, & does that enable her to FINISH the partially-done scepter? Does she GROW as an elfin spirit? The movie will answer those questions (& more)…

The animation is colorful & well done in an enjoyable way, with rounded, “NATURAL” looking faces & movements (rather than the less-pleasant “angular” looks & budget-style movements). While it’s nothing great or particularly “special” as a film, it has some bits of humor, a pleasant group of songs and soundtrack elements, plus a charming, gentle little story; and thus — for kids — it’s an effective little movie.