outbackaussie16 Review of Peter Pan

Peter Pan (2003)

I tried to like it but I can't - A fan of The Pan

[1/10 · 5 September 2005]

Peter Pan was my first hero, growing up I would run around the house wearing a play dagger, and carrying a flashlight, that served as Tinkerbell. It was for the sake of my childhood, that I tried to like this film. I can't, it's not a gem. The film like most stories of The Pan, opens at the home of the Darling Family. Wendy and her brothers John and Michael are at play, I was taken back by this scene. Wendy for the most part seems miscast, John is doing his best to look like the animated one from Disney , but this doesn't hold up when he begins to speak, little Michael is far to old to be the youngest of the Darling Children. Then comes Aunt Millsent, {Lynn Redgrave} who was made up for the film, the point of this character seems to be that she rules over Mr. Darling, and what she says goes. So when she says Wendy needs to grow up, Wendy is going to grow up. Now I don't think this character was needed, all she does is make a weakling out of Mr Darling {Jason Isaacs}, which I don't feel was ever part of his character. I can't say I was impressed with any member of the Darling Family, the acting on all parts seems strained, it's just not believable that they are a family. But I still was holding out for Peter, as he is the heart of the story. I was more than let down by the first meeting between Peter and Wendy. Peter {Jeremy Stumper}acts like he is the boy who lives down the road, not The Pan form Neverland. When Wendy {Rachel Hund-Wood} says "Boy why are you crying?", I couldn't help but feel it must have been a first take, she just doesn't seem like Wendy, maybe the director {P.J. Hogan} is to blamed for this, I don't find the actors know how to play out the scenes, or their characters. Now when Peter says "Oh, the cleverness of me." it hits like a poor joke, I can understand trying to stay true to the works of J.M. Barrie, but it makes no sense to put in new characters, and use outdated dialog. When the three children and Peter, go flying through London, it's not much of a scene, you don't really see them fly over any landmarks of the city, such as Tower Bridge or Big Ben. Still this didn't prepare me for the "Off to Neverland" scene, when Peter yells for Wendy, John, and Michael, to hold on, as they start to pass, plastic looking planets. This scene doesn't make you feel like it's Neverland time, it seems fake, and badly outdated.Now I have to say this, the characters never really look like they are flying, it's more like they are floating, or swimming, given the date on this film, I would have thought this would not have been a problem, but the flying in "Superman" looked better, and that was made ages ago! Another big let down is Hook. {Also played by Jason Isaacs} In his first scene he is shirtless, covered in a mess of flowing hair, hanging over a desk. {Now I always thought Hook wore a long hair pirate wig} He's not even wearing his hook, which I found poor taste, as who want's to see a stump, where his hook should be? Even when he does put on a hook {he has many, and changes it a few time}, it looks sort of the wrong shape. I don't know, he just wasn't the Hook, I'm use to. I didn't care for this version of Smee either, he didn't show good humor, and looked poorly made-up. The"Jolly Roger", wasn't much of a ship, I've seen a lot of high sea films, and this ship wasn't on the top ten list. So, the film just sort of goes on, and I can't say I ever found it witty, or sad, or even fun viewing. I'm very indifferent to the ending of the film, it is stated that Wendy never saw Peter Pan again, now this isn't keeping with the story of J.M. Barrie, who says at the end of his works, that The Pan visited Wendy, after she grew up, and takes her daughter Jane to Neverland, and when Jane is grown Peter takes her daughter and so on it goes. I'm guessing the film changed this because they played up on Peter and Wendy as a somewhat would be romance, I guess they felt that making Wendy never see Peter again would get some tears out of the audience, but it seemed off key to me. I don't think this film is a timeless treasure, it doesn't leave you with anything but a hope that someday, someone will do a remake, and hit the mark.