PETER PAN AND WENDY is a film directed by David Lowery. The film has Alexander Molony, Ever Anderson, Jude Law, Yara Shahidi, Alyssa Wapanatahk, Joshua Pickering, Jacobi Jupe, Molly Parker, Alan Tudyk and Jim Gaffigan. The movie is a reimagining the Disney animated movie from 1953, which was also based on the works of JM Barrie. The movie was added to the Disney Plus streaming service.
In London, Wendy Darling’s parents wonder why she resists attending boarding school, while she and her two younger brothers are worried about that future. However, they are thrilled when Peter Pan flies in and takes them to Neverland where they meet the Lost Boys and join in the fight against Captain Hook. Will Wendy change her mind about growing up or staying in Neverland? And what’s the history between Pan and Hook, anyway?
Disney is pulling out all the stops with their latest endeavor of remaking their animated classics into live-action feature films. Other studios are also tackling their own takes on classic fairy tales, including Disney’s take over the years. Although the reception for these live-action remakes have been wildly different, there has been several successes. PETER PAN AND WENDY is a movie I was unsure how I would feel about, especially given the politically correct world we live in today.
Even though I was apprehensive at first, PETER PAN AND WENDY is overall a well-considered reimagining of the source material. The film manages to retain all the elements that made the Disney adaptation successful, while still managing to put a darker, deeper spin on the story.
I’m surprised to tell you that the casting choices have paid off. It’s Alexander Molony’s first role and he plays Peter Pan, which I was shocked to learn. He does not miss a single step, and gives this character everything he needs. It’s a who’s who of old and new stars alike, even featuring Alan Tudyk as Mr. Darling, who, although present for a short time, leaves his mark. Of course, Jude Law is the standout performer and, in my opinion, his version of Captain Hook is the most memorable. While I believe Hans Conried’s version of the character is simply unbeatable (it was in a classic 1953 animated film), Law manages to give this character the perfect mix of menace and more profound reasoning, all without treating the part like a caricature.
The sets and environments make magic across the film whether it is an olden day London, or a pirate ship sailing in Neverland. This edition honors everything that came before it while expanding on the world of fantasy. This movie is not a simple “remake” of the 1953 animated classic, it straddles the line of being a remake and a reimagination. Everything on screen is usually breathtaking, a great portion of the film feeling like a piece of art. I worded that in the best way possible. There is still music in the movie, but scenes where characters break into song and dance (which is iconic of older Disney animated films) are very infrequent in this film.
Undoubtedly, some parts of the movie had to be changed and updated because the themes of the older film would probably be considered racially offensive in today’s political environment, but thankfully this does not do much damage to the story. The characters are more diverse. The Lost Boys now includes girls. Plus, it removes the over-the-top Native American caricatures entirely. Princess Tiger Lily is kept, but she is reinterpreted as more of a warrior and less of a damsel in distress. That’s a change that actually benefits the movie, but I do think it would have been nice to see more of that character.
When compared to other films, this one is satisfactory, but it certainly falters in some aspects. I had a hard time understanding why the film needed to be longer than 2 hours considering that the Disney animated version was under 90 minutes yet managed to deliver its narrative. Also, while I acknowledge the efforts made in attempting to expand the scope of this sequel’s narrative deeper than its predecessor, I feel that it is rather incomplete. The dynamic of Peter and Hook’s relationship is intriguing, but the movie seems to stray away from expanding on it.
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