We all know the story of Peter Pan. We grew up with him, probably first seeing him in the Disney animated version and seeing the story with a new spin with Robin Williams in "Hook." We know the story of Wendy and her brothers, Captain Hook and his ruffian crew of pirates, Princess Tiger Lily and her tribe and the little fairy Tinkerbell.
This new version of the film will not change the plot line from the one you are familiar with. It will, however, take you on a trip to a Never Never Land that is like none you have ever seen before.
The first scene begins in the usual way. We see the nursery at the Darling house in London. Wendy Darling (newcomer Rachel Hurd-Wood) is amusing her two younger brothers, John (Harry Newell) and Michael (Freddie Popplewell), with her bedtime stories of Captain Hook and his sidekick Smee.Her parents, Mr. Darling (Jason Isaacs of "Harry Potter") and Mrs. Darling, (Olivia Williams "The Sixth Sense") and Aunt Millicent (Lynn Redgrave) sit in the parlor. After a series of embarrassing events, including the dog, Nana, crashing Mr. Darling's office party, the parents decide that it is high time Wendy grows up and moves out of the nursery.
As Wendy settles down tearfully for her last night with her brothers, a scantily-clad boy and his fairy friend show up at the window. These are, of course, Peter Pan (Jeremy Sumpter) and Tinkerbell (Ludivine Sagnier), come to retrieve Peter's shadow, lost when Peter was listening at the window to Wendy's stories. After Peter teaches them to fly, the children decide to accompany him back to Never Never Land, where they will never have to grow old, and their adventures begin.
The scenery in this movie blew me away.The outing began as a nice gesture to my little sister, who is 8 years old and wanted to see the film. As soon as the first scene began, however, I knew this was much more than a boring babysitting job. Everything about this movie is utterly magical. Never Never Land is just as fantastic as anyone could imagine it, and goes far beyond the scope of older Peter Pan films. The special effects add to the magical nature of the scenery, allowing the children to jump from pink, puffy cloud to cloud, to dance around a forest clearing surrounded by hundreds of twinkling fairies, and fly (with the help of fairy dust, of course.)
The casting for this film was fantastic. Most of the children actors are complete unknowns, making them especially convincing as the characters from our own childhood imaginations. Rachel Hurd-Wood is a gorgeous child, and an impressive actress at such a young age. She is matched equally with her costar, fellow newcomer Jeremy Sumpter as Peter Pan.
The adults in the cast shine as well. Jason Isaacs plays the dual role of Mr. Darling and Captain Hook, and is equally convincing as both. I have seen him before, being the children's movie fan that I am, playing the evil Lucious Malfoy in the Harry Potter movie series. I was pleased to see him do just as well at playing a loving father and taciturn banker in this film. Olivia Williams is beautiful as the worried mother figure, and Lynn Redgrave is fantastic as the obnoxious but well-meaning spinster aunt.
If you don't have a little sister as an excuse, find a reason to go see this movie. It isn't just for children. This is a wonderful, improved version of a movie we all know and love. I'm sure it will be a trip down memory lane, and a good one at that.
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