Peter Pan

This is yet another retelling of J.M. Barne's classic tale of a boy who wouldn't grow up. Hence the title of the play which is Peter Pan or The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up. Catchy no?

Wendy (Rachel Hurd-Wood) and her brothers, John (Harry Newell) and Michael (Freddie Popplewell), live happily with their parents, aunt, and Nana, their dog who is also their nanny. One day, after an argument with their father, Nana is chained outside, and who should show up but Peter Pan (Jeremy Sumpter) and Tinkerbell (Ludivine Sagnier). They are looking for his shadow, which got locked in a drawer. Wendy wakes up and helps him sow it back on. Then he convinces her to go to Neverland. So they, along with John and Michael, go to Neverland, where Peter is the leader of a group called the Lost Boys. After a jealous prank by Tink almost gets her killed, Wendy becomes the mother of the Lost Boys.

They have a few adventures with mermaids and Indians and pirates before Wendy realizes she can no longer remember her parents' names, and neither can John and Michael. So they decide it's time to head home. The Lost Boys want to go with them, all but Peter. If he were to go with them, they would make him grow up and go to school and then to work, and that is something he refuses to do.

When they are getting ready to leave they are captured by Captain Hook (Jason Isaacs) and the pirates who then poison Peter Pan's medicine. He is about to drink it when Tink comes rushing in and drinks it instead, then dies. Then there is a five minute chant of "I do believe in faeries. I do! I do!" which is incredibly annoying, and Tink comes back to life.

Peter and Tink fly to the rescue only to find Captain Hook is also able to fly (um...what?) and nearly kills Peter. Wendy's kiss revitalizes him so he can finish the fight and then Hook gets swallowed by a crocodile. The one with the ticking clock in his belly. But you see Hook said the magic words: "Leave him he's mine," which is in clear violation of Peter Overlord Rule # 117.

The children go back to the Darling's house to be raised by Wendy's parents, except for Peter who returns to Neverland.

The movie wasn't the greatest, but it was okay. I mean I never understood the idea of Peter's shadow getting separated from him. It's never really talked about again. I know that it has to do more with Barrie's original work that the movie, but it still bothers me.

I loved the fact Jason Isaacs was Hook. I love Jason Isaacs, he is such a cool villain, but watching him play Mr. Darling was painful. I know why they did it, but he was a nerdy little banker. That is not the Jason Isaacs I know!

The only other thing that really bothered me was watching Wendy and Peter make googly eyes at each other, especially since Peter isn't supposed to fall in love with anyone, cuz that would show that he's growing up and he doesn't grow up. It's his shtick.  I don't want to see 12 year-olds making eyes at each other. At least they actually had a boy play the role of Peter, instead of a 20-something woman like they did is every other version of Peter Pan, or that would have been really disturbing.

The rest of the movie is pretty good; a little tacky and a little childish, but okay. Except for, Slightly (Theodore Chester) , at the end. That makes no sense. What wouldn't he have a mom? He's one of the Lost Boys, isn't he? Therefore the Darlings would be his parents but he's all mopey cuz he doesn't have a mom, so the aunt takes him, with help from Tink. That scene was useless. I know it was in the play, but they changed other things (like Tiger Lilly (Carsen Gray) falling in live with John ... huh?), they couldn't change that?

Oh well, I wonder who would win in a fight between Captain Hook and Captain Jack Sparrow. Huh. What an interesting question .... um, never mind.

Grade: 6.5/10