I have fond memories of Peter Pan and the Hook film. When I initially saw this film advertised on Disney+, I was apprehensive about even watching it but... I decided to shower in the old fairy dust and dive in.
Story: This film starts off as some of you would expect... by introducing Michael, John, and Wendy in their home just before bedtime. Michael and John are sword fighting in their iconic pajamas when Wendy came on the scene leaving her parent's room to enter the stairwell. Wendy Darling is the leading actress played by Ever Anderson, who looks like she could literally be the daughter of... Milla Jovovich.
Fun Fact: After doing some digging, I found out that she is the daughter of Milla Jovovich.
Her mom also jumped in on it, but she had more of a soft-handed approach. Nevertheless, they set the tone regarding Wendy moving forward with expectations of being a mature example for her siblings as she makes her way into womanhood.
These exchanges between Wendy and her parents brought something to mind. I look at so many adults who almost seem to assume that not only do they have to leave their childhood behind, but also joy in general. I know I'm not the only one that's seen such a thing. It's sad, and I'm not saying that we have to be childish, but some people forget what it's like to almost smile or even laugh.
I think that's one of the reasons I get a kick out of showing people funny pranks or hitting them with left-field twists in my jokes just to catch them off guard. It's great to see people smile or erupt in uncontrollable laughter. Doesn't make sense to be miserable just because we've entered adulthood. There's no age limit on Joy! The writer's had similar in mind because the film is based on that in part, outside of showing Peter Pan that he needs... others (i'll leave that there).
I could place Dustin Hoffman in... Hook, he was charismatically sinister (and will probably hold the crown for the best portrayal of Captain Hook for quite some time). It's not fair to compare, but... I just couldn't get into Jude's particular rendition as much. He had his moments (skull island, on the ship, and during another serious scene that took place in the middle somewhere) that felt like he made the role of Hook his own, but... he didn't embrace that in full. When you see it, either you will know what i'm talking about... or you'll hopefully enjoy the character twice as much as I did.
Now on to Peter Pan, played by Alexander Molony. I didn't really know what to make of him at times, he gave off a tight-lipped vibe to me. He did a pretty good job in the role, but... when I think of Peter Pan... I think of a joyful character who was. He was... sometimes, but I walked away with him having a tight-lipped vibe. To be fair, I can't just overlook the script because almost as soon as Team Darling entered Neverland, all hell broke loose... so I didn't get to see Peter's joyous side as much as I would've liked. He likes adventure, so where are the smiles and joy in terms of adventure? Y'know? I saw glimpses.
Going back to... Hook, the lost boys were a bit more memorable. In Peter Pan and Wendy, they were kind of just there to a degree. They played their part when the writers remembered to utilize them, but there wasn't much in the way of charm (for me)... even though I believe they tried. You could certainly see pockets of it, but in other instances, they were more like extras.
Overall, it's a decent film with pockets of enjoyment, and I like the connection between Peter and James... that gets a thumbs up. There were a few things that I wish were done differently for the sake of effect and action, even if it meant extending the film to let the lost boys and pirates shine a bit to showcase their quirks in battle (a bit more... because I liked the comical interactions). That would've been cool, but either way... I don't mind the ending, that was joyous.
I won't give it away, but you can see that Peter Pan chose... joy and I think that if more of us did, the world would be a better place.
Last but not least, Tinker Bell (played by Yara Shahidi), definitely played her part... but like other members of the cast... she wasn't memorable for me. The only lines that she had were at the end. She was there, the parts she played were critical, and they absolutely needed her to pull off a number of things including flight... but she went right back to the background. The leads are the leads so that's why I wasn't trippin' about the supporting cast as much it would almost be fair to call this movie... Wendy.
Visuals: When it comes to visuals, this was a beautiful film... even if CGI looked a little interesting at times (but it was easy to look past). Special effects were amazing when they were showcased, but... scenes and angles were stunning throughout (with or without them).
I'd have to say that my favorite scenes include Michael reaching for his teddy in mid-air in slow motion (that was awesome), skull rock when the croc came out to play, and the battle on Captain Hook's ship that threw everyone for a... loop.
I'll give the best scene to the ship battle, the best special effects scene to the clock tower, and the truest Peter Pan-style scene to Skull Rock (it was badass).
I think it would've been awesome to have the 3D sound effects throughout, but I didn't mind at least having them tucked in here and there. The audio was served up in 5.1 surround sound.
Price: Price-wise, you can enjoy Peter Pan & Wendy for no additional cost beyond your Disney+ membership. So... instead of the price of one film, you get a month of Disney+ & Hulu for $9.99/Month.
By the way, if you're in Orlando (Florida) anywhere from May 10, 2023 to August 06, 2023... consider grabbing tickets for the Neverland experience (this is an experience brought to you by our partners at Hidden).
So consider coming out to enjoy yourselves (adults only).
