Barbie Fairytopia: Magic of the Rainbow - NR
Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that there is an evil fairy who threatens to destroy idyllic Fairytopia. The heroine, Elina, is ostracized by other apprentices at fairy school, but meets two friends who are kind to her. When one of the mean fairy students needs help, Elina selflessly goes to her rescue, and all the apprentices learn to work together to thwart the threat to their kingdom. Girls under 8 will get the most out of the simple story on this DVD, and because it's Barbie, they will probably be begging for all the merchandise to go with it.
Families can talk about Elina's arrival at the Crystal Palace. How did she cope when the other apprentices weren't nice to her? Have you ever been nervous to go to a new school or classroom? How did you handle it? The fairy apprentices, even the ones who don't like one another, have to work as a team to save the day. Why is it a good idea to work as a team? What would have happened if they didn't help one another?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Nancy Davis Kho
In MAGIC OF THE RAINBOW, Barbie is back as Elina, the good fairy who has earned her wings, turned into a mermaid, and then back into a fairy in previous Barbie Fairytopia movies. This time she's working with other fairies to save Fairytopia from green-haired Laverna, who wants to plunge Fairytopia into ten years of bitter winter by stopping the annual spring ritual to produce the first rainbow of the season.
After a concise and helpful introduction that brings us up to date with Elina's adventures in the first two movies, Elina is chosen as an apprentice to one of the seven Guardian fairies, a sort of council that oversees the workings of Fairytopia and reports to its leader, the Enchantress. Soon Elina is attending fairy school with six other apprentices, most of whom resent her fame for saving Fairytopia in the past. They are there to learn the Flight of Spring, which requires skills in magic, flance (that's flight plus dance), and luminescence.
Meanwhile, the Enchantress' jealous sister, Laverna, plots from her swampy exile to gain her sister's crown. As Laverna moves forward with her plan, Elina must get the self-involved and resentful apprentices to work together and outmaneuver Laverna's powerful fairy magic.
Children between 4 and 8 will probably enjoy the simple story, flat characters, and the triumph of good over evil. The subplot of Elina's pet puffball Bibble, whose attention is split between a loose tooth and a new friend, will work for younger kids in the tooth-losing stage as well.
As with past installments in the Fairytopia movies, the animation is lush and mesmerizing. The scenes of the fairies flitting in and around flower buds gently bobbing in the breeze are lovely, as is the imaginative rainbow-calling ritual. Flance instruction looks suspiciously like the Dance Dance Revolution. video games.
For a more nuanced take on teamwork for this age group, try the recent live action Charolotte's Web, where characters overcome differences to help a friend. Barbie fans may also enjoy Barbie in The 12 Dancing Princesses.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentTwo puffball pets engage in harmless flirtation. |
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ViolenceEvil fairy threatens to destroy Fairytopia, but carnage is limited to wilting a symbolic flower bud. |
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Social BehaviorVirtuous characters are easy to spot and are rewarded; less admirable characters learn lessons about teamwork, and the meanest character is neutralized. |
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CommercialismBecause Barbie plays the main role, there's no getting away from the toy tie-in. Character dolls, books, athletic shoes, and playsets are advertised in the DVD insert, and one of the games on the DVD can be interactive if played with a tie-in doll. |
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