REVIEW: Secret of the Wings

 There are no spoilers in this review. 

PLOT: Tinker Bell meets Periwinkle and ventures into the winter woods with her and Tinker Bell's other friends to find the secret of fairy wings.

THE GOOD: Concept. The Tinker Bell films needed a good wrench thrown into the mix and I think Secret of the Wings does that a little. My history with the series has been a good one. Before this, we never watched any of the direct-to-DVD films when they were first released. We always waited until they were shown on The Disney Channel. But, I remember watching the first movie and enjoying it more than I probably should have. In my opinion, it could have easily been a theatrical release. Pixar Animation executive John Lasseter provided lots of support on the initial film. This was back in early 2006 when he was given leadership of Walt Disney Feature Animation after Disney purchased Pixar. One of Lesseter's promises was to stop making the terrible direct-to-video sequels to classic Disney films like Bambi II and Cinderella II (What, so, Disney... you think that just because you use roman numerals, you don't think you'll ruin our childhoods?). I mean, how can you go and mess up wonderful films like that!? So, I had my reservations when I found out that Tinker Bell was getting a spin-off film. But like I said, it's good. Simple, light-hearted, fun, and actually quite good-looking. Unfortunately, after four films now, nothing much has changed with the character. Until now. Now, she has a sister! Don't worry, I'm not ruining anything for you since they spoil this in the trailer and it's only half of the story that Secret of the Wings has to tell. It's a really cute idea that advances the Tinker Bell series rather than slows it down. I'm curious to see how Periwinkle will appear in future installments.

PERIWINKLE: "No fair! You got the bigger boobs."

Animation. For a direct-to-DVD series, the Tinker Bell movies look great. There's lots of snow and ice involved since the fairies go to the forbidden Winter Woods, so the visuals are important to get right.


THE BAD: New characters. Secret of the Wings introduces a bunch of new characters, but aside from Periwinkle, you don't really get to know any of them very well. The first Tinker Bell film was great at introducing you to Tink's friends and learning about what each one did and what their personalities were. In this one, I'm not quite sure.

Climax. Tink somehow manages to screw things up for a fifth time and the entire fairy world is on the brink of destruction again. I was pretty disappointed with where the movie ended up going. The second half of the film is quite the bore and not nearly as intriguing as the whole sister thing.

WHITE-HAIRED PONY-TAILED FAIRY: "We are used to the cold weather, which is why we can still dress like sluts."

THE END: Secret of the Wings is a good entry into the Tinker Bell film series and is worth watching with your daughter. It was slightly appropriate for Julie to watch it now since she just gained a sister five months ago. She obviously loved the film. Those little eyes were glued to the TV, which proves that Disney still knows how to please the younger audiences. If you've like the past Tinker Bell films, you'll enjoy this one, though you'll probably feel that less is at stake towards the end. If you've never watched or never liked the series, this movie is not good enough to convert you into a fan. Secret of the Wings is released today on DVD/Blu-ray.


DISCUSS: What did you think of Secret of the Wings? Have you seen all of the previous Tinker Bell films? Which one is your favorite?

TINKER BELL: "Goodbye snow."