TINKER BELL AND THE GREAT FAIRY RESCUE

What more could a girl want?

For any child who ever hoped that a fairy would come to live in their dollhouse, Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue is a dream come true.  Even watching as an adult, the movie realized my most cherished childhood fantasies in such a magical way that I stopped feeling stupid for leaving notes and gifts for fairies as a little girl.  Instead, it seemed  like a perfectly logical idea that actually stood a chance of being rewarded.

When Tinker Bell and her pals head to summer camp in human country, a whole new world is opened to them.  Tink can’t wait to start exploring, but her friend Vidia is more hesitant.  She sees that Tinker Bell’s enthusiasm and curiousity could prove dangerous, and in an attempt to teach her a lesson, she shoves Tink inside a tiny house and slams the door.  She certainly doesn’t expect the door to stick, and the whole plan backfires when a little girl named Lizzy comes to check the little cottage she constructed for the sole purpose of catching a fairy.

Naturally Vidia is wracked with guilt and fearful for Tinker Bell’s well-being, so she rushes back to camp to rally the others and stage the great fairy rescue.  Little does she know that Tink is actually in very good hands.  Lizzy is a smart, creative girl with a fastidious belief in fairies.  She would never harm one in a million years, but she would like it very much if one would stick around and be her friend.  Lizzy’s father is constantly preoccupied with his work, which, alarmingly, sometimes includes pinning a butterfly into a shadowbox.  He tolerates her talk of fairies with removed indifference, making Lizzy feel invisible.

Following her father’s lead, Lizzy begins her friendship with Tinker Bell by documenting the ways of the fairies in a carefully-made field guide.  The two then play with her dollhouse, and ultimately Tinker Bell gives Lizzy the opportunity to fly.  What more could a girl want?

Of course, Tink can’t stay forever and indeed her friends are working hard to get her back.  Their quest is somewhat less interesting than the Lizzy/Tink storyline and there is some strangely diva-like behavior amongs the other fairies that we could do without, but the rescue mission is a statement of loyalty and friendship.  Far more remarkable is Tink’s loyalty to Lizzy.  She helps the little girl reconnect with her father, and continues their friendship even after she’s rescued.  It’s a happy ending that exceeds expectations.

DVD NOTES

Extra features include a sneak peek at the new Disney film Tangled, deleted scenes, the “How To Believe” music video by Bridget Mendler, and in the Games and Activities section the kids can learn how to create their own fairy field guide or check out the fairy houses made by other children.