PETER PAN FOR THE 21ST CENTURY (Peter Pan (DVD))

Member Name: marandina

Product:	Peter Pan (DVD)
Date:	20/01/04 (352 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great story, Good fx, Heart Warming

Disadvantages: Dodgy props at times

When considering what ingredients should go into a movie to make the ideal children?s fantasy, action flick, I guess sword fights, pirates, mermaids and a whole vista of special effects would be high on the list. So it appeared when we saw the trailer for the latest, live action incarnation of the immortal J M Barrie story of Peter Pan.
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Director: P J Hogan
Run time 113 mins
Cert: PG

Principal Cast:

Jason Isaacs ~ Mr. Darling/Captain Hook
Jeremy Sumpter ~ Peter Pan
Rachel Hurd-Wood ~ Wendy Darling
Lynn Redgrave ~. Aunt Millicent
Richard Briers ~ Smee
Olivia Williams ~ Mrs. Darling
Geoffrey Palmer ~. Sir Edward Quiller Couch
Harry Newell ~ John Darling
Freddie Popplewell ~ Michael Darling
Ludivine Sagnier ~ Tinkerbell
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The world will be divided into those that have read the original text, those who cling to the Disney version and those who know little about the story of a boy who didn?t want to grow up. Peter Pan is a fantasy, almost elf-like boy, who occasionally visits London to find out more about children?s tales. On this visit, he is looking to find out more about the fate of Cinderella when he encounters the Darling family. Made up of Mr and Mrs Darling, Aunt Millicent, Wendy, Michael, John and Nana the St Bernard, the Darlings appear to be a typical Victorian family who are very close and enjoy each others company. However, Wendy is at the age where she wants to discover more about the world so when she makes the acquaintance of a boy that can fly who promises a land of adventure somewhere in the stars, she follows him taking brothers Michael and John along too.

The strange land that awaits is inhabited by small boys, dangerous pirates and a tribe of Indians who roam about the
tropical jungle hunting for animals. However, not all is sweetness and light as danger comes from the ongoing feud between Peter Pan and Captain Hook, chief pirate, who clash on a regular basis by way of sword fights and all manner of fighting.

The introduction of Wendy and co. into this fairy tale environment disturbs the equilibrium, creating a situation for Hook to exploit the children in a ruse to finally gain the upper hand over his rivals. He invites Wendy to join his band of cut throats to live the life of a pirate and all it entails. Female jealousy enters stage right in the form of Tinkerbell, Peter Pan?s faithful fairy companion. With more than a hint of envy, she arranges for Wendy to be shot down by the lost boys. Unfortunately for the diminutive fireball, PP finds out and cold shoulder?s her, much to Tinkerbell?s disappointment.

The rest of the story, you?ll probably know, but it?s a heartwarming one nevertheless. If you don?t know it, then even better and maybe you have children that have yet to encounter the world of Peter Pan and the lost boys?

Right now, I have say, I enjoyed this movie. It appears to have been pretty faithful to the original story although the screenplay was written by Hogen and Michael Goldenberg with apparently little in the way of embellishment of the classic tale. The Australian,Hogan is best known for directing Muriel?s Wedding (1994). With so many child actors on set, this movie must have been a challenge but the standard attained by the ankle biters is good enough for the big screen with some inventive camera angles employed throughout. Donald McAlpine?s cinematography takes in some sweeping aerial shots to give scale to Never Never land whilst the stunning coastal sets create the image of an Island paradise (set in The Gold Coast, no less).

Jason Isaacs (Reign of Fire, Lucius Malfoy in Harry Potter) does a great job as the villain of the piece. There is more than a suggestion of paradox
in that Hook realises he would be nothing without his antagonist Pan whilst wanting little more than to kill his nemesis. Sporadically bumping off the odd member of the crew (I loved the scene where he shoots 2 pirates whilst Wendy is reading a story and Smee turns to the camera and says ?What an exciting story..2 dead already? I guess the obvious comparison is the therapy inducing Dustin Hoffman as Hook in Spielberg?s ?Hook? (1991) but Isaac?s version is more straight down the line and noticeably more sinister. The irony of a symbiotic relationship between Hook and Pan is not lost in the translation of this movie and neither has the ponderous implications of orphandom as both main characters seem to be all at sea with a lack of parental direction (I?m sure that this is at the heart of the book?s message). Isaacs does play Mr Darling too, with a stuffy Victoriana that captured that role in a very different way to that of Hook.

I haven?t seen Jeremy Sumpter before but I thought his reprisal of Pan was suitably impish although his American accent kind of spoiled the very English accents that the rest of the cast was sporting. A combination of blonde hair and twinkling eyes was enough to capture most mother?s hearts and a certain amount of abandon reflected the paedic joy of a character determined never to grow up.

Rachel Hurd Wood was also new to me and her full lips and cherubic face are destined to set a few hearts a flutter when she grows older. She appeared suitably vunerable as the eventual heroine of the piece complimenting the main male parts with a feminine sense of adventure. Special mention must go to Richard Briers as Smee who got most of the laughs with some lovely one-liners that made myself and the audience smile.

It was great to hear a super score that accompanied the movie. Credit to James Howard Newton for some wonderful work whilst Coldplay get a feature with the irony induced ?Clocks? (think crocodiles)

The qu
ality of the work in Peter Pan is undeniable. Superlative shots of the rooftops of London (a combination of models and CGI by the looks) was remarkably offset by the inclusion of mainly warm reds and beige in firelit parlours as the Victorian era was captured on screen. The attention to detail through both costume, colour and some scenes shot in low light all come together to re-create a 19th century London.

Of course, special effects are taken for granted these days but the scene where the children fly to Never Never Land along with the flying stunts are spot on. My only criticism would be a scene toward the end which involved snow. Some of the larger chunks that land on the cast look too obviously polystyrene and the use of wires does stand out a little during some of the flying sequences but then that?s why I wasn?t really impressed with ?Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon?

By way of interest, the film was backed by the Hollywood studios Universal, Columbia and Revolution and should have involved Walt Disney Pictures until a dispute over donating the profits from merchandise sales to London's Great Ormond Street hospital, which was bequeathed the rights by Barrie.

By now, you?ll have realised I loved this film. It?s a straight account of the book but leaves previous efforts a mile behind in it?s wake. My children thoroughly enjoyed it although some of Captain Hook?s antics do take the certificate to PG so take note. I can't help thinking that this will become the definitive version of the classic story for many years to come.

Strongly recommended as a great family movie.

Peter Pan is on general release across the UK

Thanks for reading

Marandina

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