Peter Pan & Wendy – Movie Review

The latest Peter Pan adaptation is now streaming on Disney+.

Peter Pan is a classic children’s story that has been adapted into numerous films over the years. The story, originally written by J.M. Barrie, follows the adventures of a young boy who never grows up and his encounters with the Darling family in Neverland. Each film adaptation brings a unique spin to the beloved story, but only a couple captured lightning in a bottle. Despite limited success adapting the character, Disney has decided to continue its live-action remake and released their Peter Pan film directly on Disney+.

Synopsis

A young girl who, defying her parents’ wishes to attend boarding school, travels with her two younger brothers to the magical Neverland. There, she meets a boy who refuses to grow up, a tiny fairy, and an evil pirate captain, and they soon find themselves on a thrilling and dangerous adventure far, far away from their family and the comforts of home.

One of the earliest film adaptations of Peter Pan is the 1924 silent film directed by Herbert Brenon.

Still, it was not until Disney’a animated film in 1953 that Peter Pan’s popularity began. This version quickly became a beloved classic and was the pinnacle of Peter Pan film. That is until 1991 when a bold adaptation from Steven Spielberg hit theaters. This film takes a different approach to the story. It follows a grown-up Peter Pan, played by Robin Williams, who has forgotten his past and must rediscover his youth and ability to fly. The film also features an all-star cast, including Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook and Julia Roberts as Tinkerbell.

Since then, we have gotten more adaptations with 2003’s Peter Pan, directed by P.J. Hogan, and the 2015 film “Pan,” by director Joe Wright which was a prequel that told the origin story of Peter Pan. Now we have another adaption with Peter Pan & Wendy, which stars Jude Law as Captain Hook and Yara Shahidi as Tinkerbell. This movie looks great, but what visually holds it back is its bland color palette that delivers gloom. This film was made for the big screen but was pushed to be forgotten with a Disney+ drop.

The cast fits their respective roles perfectly and looks the part.

However, this film is easy to skip without Law’s sensational performance as Captain Hook, especially since not many changes were made to the memorable story. The battle front and center is between childhood and adulthood. As we age, we can all relate to the desire to avoid adulthood and remain childlike. The best thing this film does is putting heroines in this film with girls being a part of The Lost Boys but oddly still keeping the same name. Wendy is also a much stronger and capable character played by Ever Anderson, the daughter of Paul W.S. Anderson and Milla Jovovich, who played a young Natasha in Black Widow. Unfortunately, despite a visually captivating and highly detailed Peter Pan, only a little is offered for audiences that have been around the previous adaptations.

Verdict

I give Peter Pan & Wendy 2.5 out of 5 stars. It is now streaming on Disney+, but if your child has not seen a Pan film, I highly recommend showing them the animated version. Read more Reviews on Nerdtropolis and Subscribe to our YouTube.