Kids may not care about the voices, but sometimes it’s a little distracting for the adults who keep asking themselves, “Who is that speaking?” Either way, it’s a pretty stellar cast. Secret of the Wings is filled with great characters voiced by some wonderful actors including Megan Hilty (Rosetta), Timothy Dalton (Lord Milori), Lucy Hale (Periwinkle), Anjelica Huston (Queen Clarion), Matt Lanter (Sled), Jesse McCartney (Terence), Lucy Liu (Silvermist), Raven-Symoné (Iridessa), and Jane Horrocks (Fairy Mary). The screenwriters put a lot of effort into making the story engaging on many different levels. But with the rules forbidding the two worlds from mingling, how will the sisters bond?
She figures out how to keep them warm for a second journey and then discovers something wondrous … another fairy named Periwinkle who, it turns out, is Tink’s twin sister separated at birth (or by the wind … I’m still not sure how fairies are born). She learns, however, that her wings are not made for the cold and almost damages them beyond repair before returning to the warmth. But Tink wants to know what it’s like over there, so she concocts a plan to get her across the bridge into the snowy world to get a taste of the cold climate.
Tinkerbell and her friends are “warm” fairies, meaning they live in a world where spring meets winter and they are forbidden to cross over into the cold realm. Once I got over that hurdle, I was totally drawn into the story which is simple enough for the child viewer but not simplistic for the adult. Secret of the Wings is another in the Tinkerbell franchise of films, and for someone like me who only knows Tink as the mute fairy from Peter Pan, it’s strange to hear her talking … but I guess Disney doesn’t really have a market for films where the main character never speaks. I was totally drawn into the story which is simple enough for the child viewer but not simplistic for the adult.
From the moment the disk booted up, I have to say that my sock were completely blown off. The cover artwork alone was gorgeous, but I was still not sure how much time and effort actually went into making a feature-length film that’s not going to be seen on a giant screen (for the most part, that is, because Disney has been screening this film theatrically for invited audiences). So when the new “Tinkerbell Fairy Movie” Secret of the Wings arrived on my doorstep (courtesy of Walt Disney Home Video for reviewing purposes), I was intrigued especially because I was also fortunate enough to receive the 3D version of the film.
Especially when it comes to the series of Tinkerbell movies, which like the Disney princesses, I assumed were made specifically for little girls. I’ve enjoyed plenty of Disney’s theatrical films over the years, including many of their animated films, but I’ve never given a thought to taking a look at any of the animated films made directly for the home video market. You know how they say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover? Well, I have to admit that I’ve been guilty of that when it comes to most direct-to-video movies, especially those aimed at the Disney target audience.