“The Pirate Fairy” Review: A New Tinker Bell Adventure Worth Exploring

Hi everyone!

We were sent a Blu-ray copy of Disney’s “The Pirate Fairy” to review, we had interviewed Christina Hendricks and Tom Hiddleston last year about the film (the video is at the end of the review).

“The Pirate Fairy” opens with “Who I am” by Natasha Bedingfield, one of several stellar songs in the film. Another standout is “The Frigate that Flies”, with Tom Hiddleston.

“The Pirate Fairy” introduces Zarina (Hendricks), a Dust Keeper fairy. Unfortunately, she is very inquisitive and wants to know how Pixie Dust really works, and what it is capable of. Fairy Gary calls her “The Tinker Bell of Pixie Dust”, and that is just who she calls on after she creates orange pixie dust, which has never been made before. Each color of pixie dust has the ability to change a fairy’s talents (which we see later in the film).

Zarina’s tampering with the pixie dust eventually wreaks havoc on Pixie Hollow, and Zarina is eventually let go from her position as a fairy dust keeper. She leaves Pixie Hollow.

Zarina doesn’t stay away for long, she comes back during the Four Seasons Festival and puts almost all the fairies to sleep with poppies. She has changed her appearance and her allegiance. Tinker Bell (Mae Whitman) and her close fairy friends including Vidia and Iridessa were able to escape the slumber, and soon find out that Zarina stole the blue pixie dust. Without it, the fairies will not be able to fly.

Tinker Bell and the fairies go after Zarina, who has hooked up with pirates. Zarina throws pixie dust on the fairies, switching their talents. In an amusing exchange, Vidia walks over to Tinker Bell, showing the white cottonballs on her feet and demands “Tinker Bell, take them back right now!” And now, they have to head back to capture the blue pixie dust from the pirates and their captain – who at first we’d think would be James (later to become Captain Hook and voiced by Tom Hiddleston), but it isn’t. Zarina had turned on them, but soon the tables will be turned on Zarina. I’ve watched the musical number, “The Frigate that Flies” a number of times, it’s well done – as is the animation here, especially for a direct-to-video film.

Of the films I’ve seen in the Fairy series, this is my favorite. And it is interesting to have a backstory on Captain Hook and Tinker Bell.

There are some fun bonus features on the Blu-ray, including:

Second Star to the Right: The Legacy of Never Land

Croc-u-Mentary

Deleted Scenes

The Making of “The Frigate that Flies”

It won’t take long to fly through the bonus features, none are very long – but worthy of viewing.

Mousesteps Grade for “The Pirate Fairy”: B

Here is our interview with Christina Hendricks and Tom Hiddleston at the D23 Expo: