Peter Pan (2003)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

P.J. Hogan

Writers (WGA):

J.M. Barrie (play)
P.J. Hogan (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

25 December 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Romance

Tagline:

Living would be an awfully big adventure.

Plot:

The Darling family children receive a visit from Peter Pan, who takes them to Never Never Land where an ongoing war with the evil Pirate Captain Hook is taking place.

Plot Keywords:

Child | Native American Princess | Cloud | Stylized | No Opening Credits

Awards:

3 wins & 11 nominations

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	...	Tink
Theodore Chester	...	Slightly
Rupert Simonian	...	Tootles
George MacKay	...	Curly
Harry Eden	...	Nibs
Patrick Gooch	...	Twin

MPAA:

Rated PG for adventure action sequences and peril.

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | DTS-ES | Dolby Digital EX

Certification:

Switzerland:8 (canton of Zurich) | Iceland:L | Iceland:LH (video rating) | Malaysia:U | South Korea:All | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Brazil:Livre | Chile:TE | Czech Republic:U | Denmark:7 | Finland:K-7 | France:U | Germany:12 | India:U | Netherlands:MG6 | Norway:11 (original rating) | Norway:7 (re-rating on appeal) | Peru:PT | Philippines:G | Portugal:M/6 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:6 (canton of the Grisons) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG (cut) | USA:PG (certificate #39544)

Filming Locations:

Australia

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

"Nana" was a Newfoundland, a breed particularly good with children, not a St. Bernard as used in the film. J. M. Barrie modeled Nana after his own dog, a Landseer Newf. Newfoundland dogs were very popular in Victorian England and were actually used to supervise children.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the crocodile appears at the Black Castle, a close-up of the boat shows Wendy leaning over the side closest to the crocodile, but on the next shot from Hook and Peter's view, she's sitting on the opposite side closest to the rock.

Quotes:

Peter: Wendy? One girl's worth more than 20 boys.
Wendy: [under bed sheets] You really think so?
Peter: I live with boys, the lost boys, they are well named!
Wendy: Who are they?
[asking as she gets out from under sheets and makes Peter fall off the bed]
Peter: Children who fall out of their prams when the nurse is not looking. If they are not claimed in seven days, they are sent to the Neverland.
Wendy: Are there girls too?
Peter: Girls are much to clever to fall out of their prams.
[he says as he looks through the heart in Wendy's bed]

Movie Connections:

References Mary Poppins (1964)

Soundtrack:

String Quartet Op. 76, No. 5

A superb rendition of a favourite of adults and children

This is by far the most accurate and striking adaptation of the J.M. Barrie favourite that has yet been made. Indeed it is difficult to see how it could have been better.

Whilst I'm writing here in praise of the film, I feel I must take issue with the comments of Mr John Ulmer who criticised the film for a number of reasons. I seek to defend the story of Peter Pan and in particular this version. Firstly, it was said that this version has sexual over/undertones.

Erm... well yes... any accurate portrayal of the story would have, as these subtleties are present en masse in the book, indeed more so in the book than in the film it could be argued. It is precisely this evident descent towards Wendy's loss of innocence that both disturbs and excites adult readers of the books and this is quite intentional. Children who are not of an age to appreciate this level are untouched by it but rather take delight in the glorious idea of never having to grow up but instead being allowed to play forever. Indeed the relationship between Pan and Hook is the struggle of youth to overcome the onset of age (singular human vanity and innocent childish rebellion combined). I do not believe that this film's handling of this aspect of the book was merely present in "sick adult humour", I believe that it was beautifully hinted at in a way which would stimulate adult appreciation and childish fascination in the character of Pan.

I should like to make mention of the parallel which Mr Ulmer draws between this version of Peter Pan and Jumanji (namely the use of the same actors to play the adversary and the father of the lead character) is not just a trick put in to hark back to that film. Indeed the tradition of the same actor playing the role of Mr Darling AND Hook dates back to the story's original appearance as a stage play at the turn of the century and has been carried on on most occasions since then, though I concede that the Disney version (a far less worthy and sterilised version) failed to keep this tradition up.

As for the point at which the two boys are hung upside down in their nightshirts, I thought it was funny, as did the rest of the audience in the theatre and we certainly weren't there with a red pen counting the number of bottom shots as Mr Ulmer appears to have done. This film is full of charming humour, adult overtones for the adults, childish fantasy and wonderment for those of the appropriate age. The acting is superb in all areas and I must make particular mention of both Ludivine Sagnier as a wickedly funny Tink and of course Rachel Hurd-Wood whose screen debut showed her as a previously undiscovered talent who will surely go far. All the others were excellent also.

All in all this film rekindled my love of the book which I have now re-read a number of times and makes up for all those years Pan has spent in the Disney wilderness.