"Are you brave, Peter? "I try to be"
Peter (Levi Miller) is a mischievous orphan who was left by his mother (Amanda Seyfried). At 10 years old and in the middle of World War II, life couldn't be worse. One day, the unimaginable happens. Pirates kidnap all of the orphans and take them to Neverland. In this land, they will work for the nefarious pirate Blackbeard (Hugh Jackman) by mining out pixie dust. And in the midst of this, there's a prophecy of a boy who can fly.
The visual elements of Pan are all impressive. The overall visual style seamlessly blends diverse styles of rock, fantasy, steampunk and other blasts of color. We've all seen the visually-overloaded live-action fairy tales, but Pan, while sometimes generic, also has some moments of uniqueness embedded, which is appreciated. The green screen effects, from flying pirate ships and crocodiles, to the elaborate setpieces, are all well-done, if not overdone sometimes. I think this movie could definitely be an Oscar contender in the costume design, production design and visual effects categories (but the field is already crowded in all of those areas). I did enjoy the last 30 minutes the most, both visually and in terms of excitement.
The acting is relatively, a mixed bag. The standout of the pic, however, is Jackman. He very much hams it up, but like Sandra Bullock in Minions earlier this year, really brings a daring attitude to the character that makes Blackbeard really fun to root against. He really gives his all. 13-year old Miller is solid as Peter, bringing the childlike rebellion and fun that Peter Pan represents. I also enjoyed the few moments I saw Amanda Seyfried, as she really shows her versatility here playing Peter's mom.
Stirring some controversy for her casting as Tiger Lily, Rooney Mara does fine with what she's given, but, her character is sadly under-developed. Garrett Hedlund plays who would eventually become Captain Hook, but, he overacts pretty much the whole film. You could turn him into a cartoon character for a lot of his corny dialogue. There are a few action-based glimpses of a young Harrison Ford, but Hedlund really could have taken a different approach here with the character without annoyingly overdoing it.
John Powell's music score is very solid, with references to his previous work, as well as a mix of high-paced action music and slow music. A few moments of musicality do wink at the Broadway musical (though, everyone singing "Smells Like Teen Spirit" at one point is anachronistic). The script is unfortunately shallow, and features several moments of corny dialogue. While this is partially due to the childlike nature of the Peter Pan story, it would have been nice if some mature subtlety would have been added in. On the bright side, the story doesn't drag for the most part, and the overall 2 hour running time does go by fairly quick.
Disney has shown to have introduced and have been succeeding in the live-action fairy tale field (from Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent to lesser-sized hits such as Enchanted and Into the Woods), so the other studios are trying to cash in. Can Warner Bros. effort at creating an origin story for Peter Pan possibly tap into the same Disney magic?
The answer, unfortunately, is mostly a resounding no. I had put Pan at #6 on my anticipated list for 2015, but my expectations were just too high here. Overall, the Joe Wright flick is, as expected, a visual treat (with some pretty impressive costumes and set designs, as well as some thrilling action scenes), but there isn't much beyond that that is truly great. The origin story here isn't very original, and the script often feels juvenile.
That isn't to say the film is as bad as what critics say it is. There are still some very likable things about this film. I already mentioned the impressive visuals. The film's overall tone and spirit remains fairly true to the original J.M. Barrie novel (both to its benefit and depreciation). Miller does make a good Peter. And the nearly-unrecognizable Jackman's very polished performance gives this fractured version of the fairy tale a much-needed jolt.
Even with its fun and exciting moments, Pan is somewhat of a disappointment. For families and fairy tale/fantasy enthusiasts, it would make a fine Redbox rental for a movie night. But, keep your expectations in check. Because it's not quite anything truly magical.
Score: 7.0/10
Content Problems Families Should Be Aware Of:
Language: One use each of "h---", "bloody h---" and "d---ation". "I'll be darned" (obviously dubbed over its harsher alternative in post-production) and "heck" are used once or twice too. Peter gives someone a (British) crude hand gesture.
Adult Content: Mermaids are topless, but their chest area is covered by their long blonde hair. Tiger Lily is shown wearing a midriff-baring outfit. Some flirting.
Violence: In a refreshing twist, when people are shot in Neverland, they explode into colorful dust, instead of blood and gore. But still, several people are shot down. A few swordfights. A bombing is briefly depicted at the beginning (most of the effects occur off-screen). Someone gets a gash in the head. Giant crocodiles nearly take out characters (one nearly drowns Peter). Some fairies are destroyed by a flaming cannon. Neverbirds (which may scare very young children) attack various characters from above. One character dies (in flashback and in a non-graphic way)
Drugs/Alcohol: None, though Blackbeard inhales pixie dust to restore his youth.
Other: Magic and fairies are prominent. The Catholic nuns at the beginning are nowhere near good caretakers. Peter and a friend steal things in the orphanage.
