Peter Pan (2003)
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A young boy who refuses to grow up invites a family to a magical land where they face a pirate captain.
The story
In Edwardian London, Wendy Darling tells her younger brothers stories of Captain Hook and his pirates. Peter Pan overhears her from outside their nursery window. One night, Wendy sees Peter return to the nursery to watch her sleep, but his shadow is bitten off by the family's nurse dog, Nana. In search of his shadow, Peter befriends Wendy, who sews it back onto him. He invites Wendy and her brothers to Neverland so she can tell her stories to his gang of Lost Boys. Using Tinker Bell's fairy dust, the four fly to Neverland, while Nana alerts Mr. and Mrs. Darling of what has happened.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In Edwardian London, Wendy Darling tells her younger brothers stories of Captain Hook. Peter Pan overhears her and eventually befriends Wendy, who sews his lost shadow back on. He invites her and her brothers to Neverland. After flying there with Tinker Bell, they are attacked by Hook's pirates. Tinker Bell, jealous of Peter's affection for Wendy, tricks the Lost Boys into shooting Wendy out of the sky, but she survives thanks to an acorn Peter gave her. Wendy agrees to be the 'mother' of the Lost Boys while Peter acts as their 'father'. John and Michael encounter Tiger Lily and are taken to the Black Castle by Hook, where they are rescued by Peter and the Lost Boys. After a romantic dance between Peter and Wendy, Hook convinces Tinker Bell that Peter will leave Wendy. Wendy asks Peter to express his feelings, but he angrily demands she return home, refusing to believe he can feel love without growing up. Wendy urges her brothers to return home, and the Lost Boys eventually join them. While Wendy leaves, she and the boys are captured by Hook's crew; Tinker Bell drinks a poison intended for Peter and succumbs. Peter telepathically revives her, and she helps him rescue the children. In a final duel, Hook uses Tinker Bell's dust to fly but is swallowed by a crocodile. Peter flies Wendy and the boys back to London, where they are reunited with their parents. Peter returns to Neverland, promising to visit Wendy again.
- First release year
- 2003
- Runtime (minutes)
- 123
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States; Australia
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- P. J. Hogan
- Writers
- P. J. Hogan · screenplay; Michael Goldenberg · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Jason Isaacs · Captain Hook and George Darling; Jeremy Sumpter · Peter Pan; Richard Briers · Mr. Smee; Rachel Hurd-Wood · Wendy Darling; Olivia Williams · Mrs. Darling; Lynn Redgrave · Aunt Millicent; Ludivine Sagnier · Tinker Bell; Harry Newell · John Darling
- Genres
- fantasy adventure; children's fantasy; swashbuckler
- Themes
- Growing up vs. Staying young; Love and Sacrifice; Adventure
- Tone and mood
- Fantasy; Romantic; Adventure
- Setting
- Edwardian London and Neverland
- Premise and plot tags
- Child Abduction; Fairies; Mermaids; Native Americans
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1904 play and 1911 novel Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up by J. M. Barrie
- Content notes
- Child Abduction
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics, praising the performances, visuals, romantic feel, and musical score, but it was a financial failure.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 77% · review count: 145; Metacritic · score: 64 · scale: 100 · review count: 33; CinemaScore · score: A- · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- Saturn Award · winning films · win
- Production trivia
- The film was the first live-action theatrical release with a boy playing the part of Peter Pan.; The decision to shoot in Australia was based on the low value of the Australian dollar at that time.; The window he flies out of had to be enlarged twice.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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