*** Official PETER PAN Review Thread (1 Viewer)

[Carlos Mendoza]

I just saw it in a sneak and enjoyed it. I'm not Pan purist, and I've never read the book or seen the play, but it was a decent movie. My kids (10 and 8) absolutely loved it.

Jason Isaacs was really good as Hook, and the young lady who played Wendy did an excellent job of conveying the conflicting emotions throughout her journey.

It seemed like they overdid it a little with the blue filter while shooting this movie. I'm sure it's for a cinematographic effect, but it stood out to me.

The wire flying was sometimes good, and sometimes not good at all.

The soundtrack was excellent, IMO. In fact, I've already ordered it and it should be here soon.

 

[Brian W. Ralston]

I just saw the film tonight at a screening. I liked the film. I did not love it.....but I would definitely see it at a Matinee price. James Newton Howard's score is incredible. (He was at the screening tonight. Said he wrote about 1 hour 43 minutes of music for a movie that is 1 hour and 45 minutes long.) The effects and visuals are great. If you are a kid at heart.....you will probably find something to like about the film.......but it does have its flaws and drags on a little in the middle. I thought Peter was a little young. And Hook was cast a little younger than I expected as well. Although.......Jason Isaacs is wonderful (pulling double duty for both Hook and Mr. Darling)

(not a technical review I know......it's late).

I did like the fact that while it is a kids story.....it is not really aimed entirely at a kid audience. I also liked how they tried to stay true to the original as much as possible.

 

[Robert Crawford]

This thread is now the Official Review Thread for "Peter Pan". Please post all HTF member reviews in this thread.

Any other comments, links to other reviews, or discussion items will be deleted from this thread without warning!

If you need to discuss those type of issues then I have designated an Official Discussion Thread.



Crawdaddy

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

The surprising element about P.J. Hogan’s screen version of Peter Pan is the level of seriousness and sadness it conveys from J.M. Barrie’s source material. Here, the story about the boy who never grows up is shown not so much on the side that he wants to remain playful for the rest of his life but more so to avoid the responsibilities that comes with adult life even to the point that he wants to remain innocent as to the meaning of true love.

Jeremy Sumpter and Rachel Hurd-Wood are well cast as Peter Pan and Wendy Darling, respectively. The visual effects lend the credibility and realization needed for the story’s fantasy world. James Newton Howard’s score comes off at the right pitch and one that is not overbearing.

This version is not without controversy for some of the perceived sensuality that is dealt with in the film. In a word or two, it’s all poppycock. P.J. Hogan’s Peter Pan is an improvement over Disney’s 1953’s animated film. While Disney’s version only dealt with two simple choices – to grow up or to grow old, it never truly gave us the heart of the material until now – that coming of age comes with it some very difficult challenges and choices.

~Edwin

 

[Vickie_M]

My husband and I REALLY ENJOYED this movie! It's good, old-fashioned filmmaking and good, old-fashioned storytelling. They didn't try to make the kids updated and hip. They didn't try to work in modern references. There were no product placements. They stayed faithful and true to the story, and true to the way the story should LOOK. It's one of the most beautiful looking movies I've ever seen. From the snow-covered streets of London, to the fairy glitter, each frame is lovingly rendered, and welcome eye-candy. I also loved the look of all the characters. I thought the acting was good (I liked all the characters, even the dastardly Captain Hook) and the music was lush and gorgeous.

Is it a great movie? No, but it's a very good one.

 

[Adam_S]

:star::star::star::star: out of four

Give me a great family movie and you've made me a very happy person. This is a great family movie. PJ Hogan has stayed close to the JM Barrie original and shows us that there is still magic and wonder to be had in a powerful story told to perfection. The acting by the children was especially exceptional. And the adults were wonderful as well (the mother's brief role, and Hook/Mr. Darling). But truly extraordinary is the performance that Wendy and Pan give. They seem all to real, even in a fantasy land there is a ineffable sadness to their relationship.

There was something special to Wendy and Peter dancing in the air, while every adult in the audience mirrored the awe in Hooks face at the beauty and perfect innocence of the moment. For that moment, it is both Hook watching Wendy and Mr. Darling realizing his daughter has become a young woman, it's a brilliant bit of understated acting.

There are so many lovely, small touches to the film. the way neverland is shaped by Peter's moods and abscence--it's so quietly done, never overtly, but everyone knows it. The look and stylized magic of neverland was perfect. Neverland is the way children understand things before science tells them 'the truth': clouds can be bounced on, you can fall from terribly high but you're okay if you fall in water, there's nothing worser than a girl seeing you naked, a stuffed animal deserves as much sympathy and respect and the same treatment as a person, adults want the same things as kids, and there is nothing (absolutely nothing) as wonderful as a good story--except maybe a good storyteller.

There is truth and magic in this story, and the movie conveys it wonderfully. When other family films and adaptations (like Holes) have done a good job, Peter Pan exceeds them to make a truly incredible and powerful film. One of the best of the year. An absolute delight.

Adam

 

[Tim Glover]

Good movie. Not great, but good. To me, the weakest part was the actor who portrayed Peter Pan. He wasn't horrible mind you.

Still give it :star: :star: :star: /:star: :star: :star: :star: :star:

 

[Mary M S]

This movie is playing Starz Direct* all through month of November. I did not give this film a glance during its debut. But recommend it highly to all that have access to Starz to sit down and catch during a quiet time this month. I Tivoed it and now intend to acquire the DVD.

Five of Five stars
It might be pertinent to mention that in 2004 the story of Peter Pan is now 100 yrs old! Overdone, tired, saturated subject matter? Possibly, but worth your time for this fresh rendering of an old tale which follows closely to the “intent” of Barrie's original creation (while taking a few liberties) than I have hitherto seen produced.
As Peter is the “except for one” boy, this film, different from all, stands unique in its treatment of Neverland..

Regardless that the title namesake flew forever into the hearts of children as the stories main focus, when penned this was Wendy Moira Angela Darling’s tale. With Peter cast as the character that contrasts the tragic loneliness and possible isolation of fearing to grow up, while in his person containing all our lost and yearned for wishes..
This version of Peter Pan is clearly a battleground for more than dominance of Neverland.
Notice its more faithful (to novel) nod to the fact that Wendy is not “fearful” of Captain Hook, but indeed, “Fascinated”, dreaming herself a “Red-handed Jill” (Know any women in real life who yearn towards the dangerous type?!).
Barrie's novel whilst remaining a book you could read to any child, - has its darker and more adult post-Victorian paragraphs cryptically reflecting upon the human condition, which Disney never relayed in Animation.
This film captures the novels duality of adult thoughts and children’s naivete reminding adults (without offending watching children’s sensibilities in the least) of those moments when we ourselves straddled that no-mans land of puberty. Our heads and hearts confused, swiveling forward to consider the just glimpsed and hazy future (sex), and the tantalizing prospect of becoming privy as we aged to the many secrets of Mothers and Fathers. Yet still fearful at times and drawn to hold tight to our more recent and familiar past years of play... Peter Pan fights for Wendy, to keep her in Neverland, forever his storyteller and playmate, as the book states, and he is not above the very adult jealously of males when claiming a woman to attempt to reduce or severe prior ties and loyalites a female has to her immediate family. Pan feels guilt but intends to deny a grieving Mrs. Darling her daughter's return.
The reason was so simple, “I’m fond of her too. We can’t both have her, lady.

The one area where the film takes the most liberty regards Mrs. Darlings Hidden Kiss.
The novel, when describing Wendy's Mother, states:
“Her romantic mind was like the tiny boxes, one within the other that come from the puzzling East, however many you discover there is always one more, and her sweet mocking mouth had one kiss on it that Wendy could never get, though there it was perfectly conspicuous in the right hand corner of her mouth……Mr. Darling, got all of her, except the innermost box and the kiss”.

In the movie:
Peter Pan gets his kiss from Wendy, rather than her mother, who is the female in Barrie's novel who bestows upon Peter Pan that which she has kept from any other person, including her own adored husband, Mr. Darling, - Peter recieves Mrs. Darlings hidden kiss. The film effectively transposes this event. Using the kiss (via Wendy, who in the novel is indeed coming into her own “hidden kiss.” The film manages using that liberty, to convey the same poignancy which is displayed in the novel, when Peter Pan later visits the nursery, after Wendy's return from Neverland. Then Wendy is ‘Old” (past twenty) and in momentary despair, “ when she…”squeezes herself as small as possible.(and) Something inside her was crying, Woman, Woman, let go of me”.


Visually beautiful many moments, minor CG irritations. Excellent casting, across the board. I will be watching for Jeremy Sumpter future roles with great interest, He hits the perfect note, for a character arrogant enough to crow “Oh the cleverness of me!”
Soundtrack is very effect in surround setup. The scoring appropriately and supportively poignant and dramatic.

I’ve watched (count them! Five!) males who have various tastes, from age 19 to 40, comment when passing by “What is that? ….Jeezes! Peter Pan?!!!” who then paused to watch the moment on screen, finally slowly and absentmindedly sitting down for the rest of it, (regardless of what they had been about to do.) Ultimately, - riveted and laughing, later rewinding to see the beginning they had missed.
(and somewhat like Wendy, - I took my own moment to smile secretly to myself at my men’s’ “capture” by this film)

Give it a vewing, I expect that grass roots, this is a film capable of "growing up" to become a classic.


When you play at...Neverland by day with the chairs and table-cloth, it is not in the least alarming, but in the two minutes before you go to sleep it becomes very real.
That is why there are night-lights.

 

[Brian Kidd]

Mary, I must wholeheartedly agree with your review. I had read so many bad reviews of the film that for the longest time I passed it by. However, the people who liked it were so eloquent in describing the reasons for its success that I took a chance on it. I am so glad that I did. This is truly a classic film that I will love showing to my son when he is old enough. It never panders to the audience and is lovely and sad in all the right ways.