What it is lacking is any kind of wonder. True fairy dust is in decidedly short supply and without it, the movie sinks like a cannonball.
Comment
12/25/03
Peter Pan (2003)
75
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:130
Fresh:98
Rotten:32
Average Rating:6.8/10
Consensus: This version of Peter Pan is visually sumptuous, psychologically complex, and faithful to its original source.
Runtime: 1 hr 54 mins
Genre: Childrens
Synopsis: A haunting tale of adventure and dreams, Peter Pan has thrilled audiences around the world since it premiered on a London stage 100 years ago. But J. M. Barrie's classic story of the boy who... [More]
Starring: Jason Isaacs, Olivia Williams, Jeremy Sumpter, Rachel Hurd-Wood
Director: P.J. Hogan
Reviews for Peter Pan
What distinguishes this Peter Pan from other versions is its unsentimental insight into the terrors and delights of both childhood and growing up.
12/25/03
Top CriticSumptuous-looking and engagingly acted.
12/25/03
Both enchantingly old-fashioned and daringly modern.
12/25/03
Every generation deserves its own version of Peter Pan. Until the next one arrives in 2019 or so, this one will do nicely.
12/25/03
Apparently, the filmmakers felt characterization would only get in the way of the special effects.
12/25/03
Hogan introduces a subtle eroticism which gives "Pan's" theme additional complexity for adult viewers which should fly over the heads of children
12/25/03
Action-fortified, touching and entertaining from its beguiling beginning to its dreamy conclusion.
12/25/03
It succeeds because it goes back to the roots of the original -- there's none of that modernizing that made Hook so tedious -- and ventures bravely into some of Barrie's more subtle subtexts.
12/25/03
Has in the young British actress Rachel Hurd-Wood a Wendy for the ages.
12/25/03
As much a commentary on Peter Pan as an adaptation… an interesting if flawed tribute to all that is 'gay and innocent and heartless' in Barrie's enduring story.
12/25/03
There just isn't enough in the movie, despite its marvelous design, to warrant another visit to this material.
12/25/03
The kind of whiz-bang extravaganza that's OK for the under-12 set but might be a something of a slog for anyone older.
12/25/03
Audiences and readers have been joining Peter and his friends in the fantastical world of Neverland for 100 years, but never has the journey been so richly rendered as in P.J. Hogan's enchanting film adaptation.
12/25/03
Hogan ... seems to be reckless here, not careful enough.
12/25/03
Possesses effects galore, although curiously little to spark the imagination.
12/25/03
If you're interested in returning to Neverland -- or taking some young person along for the ride -- this Pan will serve you well. For others, though, the flight might seem too familiar.
12/25/03
If this film is passed over for technical Academy Award nominations it would be a real oversight.
12/25/03
To its credit, this one has its share of magical moments, even if they don't quite hit the highs of the Disney version.
12/25/03
Faithful to its source but rather unremarkable as a movie experience.
12/24/03
Latest News for Peter Pan
April 12, 2007:
"Order of the Phoenix" Screenwriter Sits Down for a Chat
When you're the screenwriter stepping in to Chapter Five when a different guy wrote Chapters One through Four, you're bound to have some trouble getting adjusted. Especially... More...
December 20, 2006:
UK to Produce Brand-New "Peter Pan" Sequel
Geraldine McCaughrean's "Peter Pan in Scarlet," the first "official" sequel to J.M. Barrie's "Peter Pan" is (eventually) about to begin production... More...
May 30, 2006:
Helena Bonham Carter Joins the Hogwarts Faculty
OK, maybe she's not a member of the faculty, but I needed a catchy headline and HBC has indeed been added to the cast of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."... More...
April 07, 2006:
Potter 5 Claims a Release Date
Omar at JoBlo's informs us that the fifth Harry Potter flick, entitled Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, will make its debut on July 13th, 2007 -- which should make for... More...
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