[- REVIEW -] Peter Pan

[Kn'thrak]

No Spoilers so you can be comfortable reading this before you see it.

Being a long time fan of the Peter Pan story, it was a really must to see this movie. I didn't expect much of it looking back at Hook & Disney's Peter Pan but they had their elements to it which made them good.P.J. Hogan's Peter Pan is a version which was surprising to the fact that it had elements which kids simply won't understand.

The opening sequences are told in a story/fairy tale format with narrative sequences progressing throughout the whole movie, explains certain aspects which add depth into events and characters to what they do and become. It almost feels like a play with characters at times, looking in the director of the camera and saying a quick humorous line. This does not in any way make the story seem fake but adds the humor into moments of violence.

The first surprise (aside the nice mix of computer generated scenes), is when Hook is disposing of his crew at will with his hook or weapon. It seems at this moment, the Hook character builds up to the point that even the crew are immensely scared of him. More than Peter Pan & the lost bodies which see fighting with Hook only a game, a dangerous yet happy game. Intension between all the characters come into play with even a few heated moments between Wendy & Peter finding out they are too different people.

Looking back at this years movies that have a battle between the 2 most important characters of good & evil, Peter Pan surely has a epic (yet long) fight scene. Yes that's right, I enjoyed it a lot more than Matrix Revolution end battle. Not only which they had quite a bit of sword fighting but Peter Pan had the element of a psychological war of creating a barrier away from regular action movies. Captain Hook & Peter Pan not only love to battle but it really showed their hate each other in saying certain things that made them sad and build up their hate which does effect the way they fight but I will leave this since it was a surprise to the viewer on what happens.

Being a fan Spielberg's Hook, I really enjoyed Dustin Hoffman role and thought that Jason Isaacs simply won't top it. I was dead wrong. Playing Mr. Darling (father of Wendy) & Captain Hook, Jason Isaacs delivers a character that feels lonely and a character that you come to hate towards the end of the movie. Being Jeremy Sumpter (Peter Pan) first major movie, you grow a likeable aspect for his character with all the pain and suffering he goes through. Losing his friends close to him and almost losing himself. Rachel Hurd-Wood playing as Wendy is a new comer to the big screen but it won't be her last. She plays a great role which independently can take over the screen. She played sort of a mirror (yet younger) image of her mother played by the beautiful Olivia Williams.

Next after the great roles by all the actors was the Computer Generated scenes. With Peter & the gang flying around, you forget its all on a blue screen and it surely is the best C.G. money can buy. Even composting a flying Pan into a room or a real background was surely impressive as you might see. P.J. Hogan had an excellent story which he didn't hold back to tell a epic story. His style of directing with a colorful yet dark moments brought a realistic element to all scenes. Don't only take my say and the crew's on the making of this movie but it did take 3 Studio companies (Universal, Columbia and Revolution) to bring this movie to the screen.

The music was great and emotion through the movie was fantastic. Nothing overdone or missing, you hope that future fairy take movies will be like this.

9/10
Definitely in my top 5 movies of 2003

[carl]

Good review,

Made me wanna see the film even moire now. Maaan I can not wait for Friday.

[Kn'thrak]

Thanx

ML review by Dean Kish is alot more detailed than mine but virtually the same expressions and feelings about Peter Pan. Glad to see I'm not alone on this!

http://www.movie-list.com/reviews.php?id=peterpan

[carl]

http://www.epinions.com/content_124108246660

[Gypsy]

That review is preety much exactly as I would put it.

Peter Pan was great