Peter Pan is a film that is carried almost entirely by children- children are the heroes of the story while adults are either villains or reduced to the background. The story combines every element of childhood fantasies- swashbuckling pirates, beautiful mermaids, mysterious Red Indians and sparkling pixies- into a story that pushes the boundaries of imagination. Shadows have a life of their own- and are sewn back on with a needle and thread. Crocodiles swallow alarm clocks and chase after pirates. With faith, trust, and a little bit of pixie dust, children fly off following the "second star to the right".
The story itself is slight, but fantastical nonetheless- when young Wendy Darling is reluctant to "grow up", she, along with her brothers, fly off to Neverland- where no one ever grows up- with Peter Pan, their hero. There they meet mermaids, Red Indians and a rag-tag bunch of Lost Boys, and face off against the nefarious Captain Hook and his pirate crew.
Like many book-to-screen animated adaptations, this one too, glosses over the dark and grim incidents in the original book. We are never told who Peter Pan is or how he comes to visit you- all we know is that the children- Wendy, Michael and John- believe.
There are plenty of unique characters to keep the film entertaining. Peter Pan is stubborn, reckless and immature, in perfect contrast to Wendy, who is on the cusp of growing up, and is cautious, independent and motherly. Michael and John are mere supporting characters, but as Wendy's brothers, get important moments in the film. Tinker Bell, who was later to be given her very own CGI spin-off series, is a supporting character as well, but her moments are true highlights of the film. The Lost Boys, who aren't really explained, carry the bulk of comic moments and also account for much of the film's padding (not unlike the mice in Cinderella).
 | |
Captain Hook, the villain, is something of a mixed bag. He's cantankerous and ridiculous at one time, but comes across as a real threat the next. Why exactly he is hell bent on beating (killing?) Peter Pan, I have no idea. Hook gave me the impression of being a villain just for the sake of being a villain. His most pathetic moments involve a crocodile who has swallowed a clock, which makes for many scenes of physical humor. I can't say that Hook is one of the greatest Disney villains ever, but he certainly is memorable. His pirate crew, apart from the likeable (and hilarious) Smee, don't really lend much except comic relief.
 |
Which brings me to the animation, which is simply magical and gorgeous. Lavish scenery, soaring visuals and sparkling pixie dust make this film a visual treat. Standouts are the exquisite and painstaking sparkles that surround Tinker Bell, all the character movements, and the flight sequence where the children fly over London. Voice actors lend themselves really well to the characters, which makes them all memorable.
Peter Pan comes across as a male-dominated film with characters like Peter, Hook, Michael, John and the Lost Boys. Nonetheless, there's plenty that will keep girls entertained. Wendy and Tinker Bell are the major female characters that have strong personalities and only seldom fit the stereotypical "damsel in distress" Disney Princess image of the 40s and 50s.Tinker Bell especially is the breakout star of the film. Her fiery personality has been toned down in recent CGI spin offs, but she remains endearing and one of Disney's greatest female characters. Wendy, on the other hand, is supposed to reflect our own personalities. Her initial reluctance to "grow up" is highlighted in the beginning, and by the end we really see her mature into a young lady.
Like most Disney animated movies of the 1940s and 50s, I didn't watch Peter Pan as a very young child. I was around ten when I saw it (the same age I saw Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for the first time) and I remember not being too fond of it. Perhaps because I grew up with the Disney of the 1990s with films like Aladdin, The Lion King and Toy Story. Now, watching it a decade later, I still haven't changed my opinion of this movie. No doubt, it's good. But it doesn't do much for me like the movies I mentioned above. I seem to be having this problem with most of the 1950s Disney movies (except Lady and the Tramp and Sleeping Beauty).
The biggest problem with Peter Pan (for me, at least) would be the story. There is little or no emotional investment for viewers. The story is overly episodic and is brought down even more by slapstick comedy. One can ignore the unnecessary scenes involving Red Indians and mermaids which don't mesh well with the story, and only provide whimsy and childhood fancy, but in the end there simply isn't much take-away value. It doesn't linger in your heart or mind long after. And for me, that's a serious problem. The lightweight character of the film just doesn't do anything for me the way previous films like Pinocchio, Dumbo and Bambi have.
I was disappointed that Peter Pan didn't really involve or move me. Most of my fellow Disney fans praise this movie and rank it really high, but I just can't bring myself to love it. Have I been spoiled by Tangled and Wreck-It Ralph?
All weaknesses aside, Peter Pan still holds up as a genuinely fun, harmless, lightweight movie. It's messages of being young, fearless and pure of heart no matter what age you are shine through. Although it isn't one of my personal Disney favorites, that doesn't mean I don't recommend it. Peter Pan is high-flying fun for all.
Second star to the right, and straight on till morning!
RATING: ★★★★
Walt Disney's Peter Pan is now available for the first time on Blu-ray as part of Disney's prestigious Diamond Collection. It also happens to be celebrating it's 60th Anniversary! Buy it now from Amazon! Visit the official Peter Pan site here.
More Disney Classics Reviews: *Frozen
*Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
*Cinderella
*Wreck-It Ralph
*Mulan