If you've read the book Peter Pan (or have seen the Walt Disney movie) and were wondering where the tiny pixie named Tinkerbell came from, then this movie tells all! In Neverland, Tinkerbell never talks. But in this prequel to the original film, she really speaks her mind! Her mouth and her stubborness get her into one mess after another. This movie sends an inspiring message to kids about self-acceptance and finding your true talent.
Born of Laughter
As the story goes, a new pixie is born every time a baby laughs for the very first time. Then all the other fairies in Pixie Hollow gather for a ceremony in which the new pixie's talent will be magically selected. When Tinkerbell arrives, she hopes that she may become a glamorous Nature Fairy in charge of light or water, or maybe plants or animals. Instead a hammer glows so brightly that there is no doubt she is destined to be a "tinker" fairy (those who invents gadgets to help fairies do their jobs more efficiently). Boring! Tinkerbell insists on changing her magical "talent". Then she will be allowed to travel to the Mainland with her friends Rosetta, Iridessa, and Silvermist. But switching turns out to be a harder than she bargains for (and provides some of the funniest scenes in the movie!). A hopeless but determined Tink drops dewdrops, can't light a firefly to save her life, and terrorizes a poor baby bird just learning to fly.
Stampede!
The worse incident is instigated by a snobby, Fast Flying fairy named Vidia. She tricks Tinkerbell into trying an impossible task: catching thistle weeds. Tink corners a few of the thistles into a corral, but they bust out of the gate and stampede toward the pixie village. Months of preparations for the upcoming Spring season are completely demolished. Spring could be delayed - or cancelled! Tinkerbell's spirit is crushed at first, but by talking to a fairy name Terrence she decides to accept her destiny. She tinkers around with some spare parts and invents new gadgets that will help the pixies get ready in time.
As a reward for her efforts, Tinkerbell is allowed to go to the Mainland. She searches for the owner of a lost ballerina music box. As a cool tie-in to the original Walt Disney movie, the owner of the music box turns out to be a young Wendy, the girl who later flies with Peter Pan to Neverland.
The CGI animation is quite incredible, from the breathtaking displays of the changing seasons to the clarity of the fluttering wings of Queen Clarion. Some of the actors who contribute their voice talents include:
Mae Whitman = Tinkerbell
Raven-Symone' = Iridessa
Angelica Huston = Queen Clarion
Lucy Liu = Silvermist
America Ferrera = Fawn
Jesse McCartney = Terrence
Kristin Chenoweth = Rosetta
Movie trivia: the voice of actor Lucy Liu was also heard in what other animated film? Click on link below to find out!