Peter Pan & Wendy

[Drunk Monk]

This might be premature because I didn't finish this. I only got to where Wendy meets Tiger Lily and then fell asleep (in my defense, I had some melatonin and whiskey on board). I might not return to it. 

I often credit Captain Hook as my inspiration for taking up sword. When I was young, like 5, I had a double hernia operation. I had to stay in the hospital alone and have a distinct memory (which might be false) of a mural of Hook bearing down being lit eeriely by the parking lot lights. I can still see it clearly in my mind. It wasn't frightening because I knew Hook was a codfish, but it left a lasting impression. 

That gives Peter Pan stories an extra edge for me. Real or false memory, Hook shaped the course of my life. Jude Law plays Hook. 

This is the woke Neverland. Tinkerbell is black. Tiger Lily is played by a genuine Bigstone Cree. There is a pair of black girls, twins, in the Lost Boys. It's a bit more from Wendy's take and a lot hinges on the actress playing her. Not sure if she measures up. Other than that, it's very much in the tradition of Disney's original animated film. 

So far, it's kinda meh. Maybe I should wait for the sword fight. But the best one is at the end. Maybe I'll just bail. 

[King Bob]

There was a good book called Alias Hook where Captain Hook is a pirate who is cursed into Neverland, to be killed over and over by Peter Pan. I thought I reviewed it here but didn't. I was recently thinking about re-reading it.

There is also a new book about Hook escaping from Neverland, called Hooked, second in a series. The first is Wendy Darling. I might read, but it's a series....

[thatguy]

From the preview, is that Jim Gafigan as Smee? He seems like he'd be a good Smee...

--tg

[Drunk Monk]

KB: Not sure I'm into reading those versions of Hook. Tara read a bunch of those YA reimagined sorts of books and they never quite worked for me. But I'd read your D00M review on them...

tg: Yes on Gaffigan but I didn't get that far into this. He appears in the scene that introduces Hook (when Peter, Wendy and her brothers first fly into Neverland and the pirates open fire on them) but it wasn't enough to judge his performance yet.

BTW, J.M. Barrie made up the name Wendy for his original play. I know this because I have a good friend named Wendy and she educated me on the meaning of her name.

[Drunk Monk]

I totally recant my previous review. At about the half hour mark this totally turns around and becomes something new and special. It’s all about female power with Wendy, Tink & Tiger Lily. Good woke - thought provoking. The cast dials in, or perhaps the story does and it gets almost meta at points. There profound Vader moments regarding family ties. 

And the sword fight? Not bad. Not great but then it goes somewhere imaginative on the flying pirate ship.

I’m going to D00M rec this one and I suspect some of you might reject what it’s doing and dismiss it. And I could see reasons for that, but I found it enjoyable in the end.

[King Bob]

Saw this and was entertained but it was pretty much forgettable. Looked good though. I wasn't sold on the ending for Peter and Hook though.

[Drunk Monk]

All these live action reduxes are about Disney keeping its copyrights. Many of their 'classic' films are about to enter the public domain copyright-wise. Doing a redux now is a way to retain those. 

I kinda wanted to see liberated mermaids.

[King Bob]

Christina was also disappointed that there were no mermaids

[Drunk Monk]

Liberate the mermaids!!!