PAN

US, 2015, 111 minutes, Colour.
Hugh Jackman, Levi Miller, Rooney Mara, Garrett Hedlund, Amanda Seyfried.
Directed by Joe Wright.

There must be some producers and audiences out there who like this film but it did not appeal at all to this reviewer. And there have been quite a lot of films about Peter Pan, including the classic Disney film 1953, the story of J.M.Barrie with Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland, 2004, a live action remake of the basic story by Australia’s P.J.Hogan, Peter Pan, 2003, and a British miniseries, Neverland, 2011, with a plot that he is very similar to the present one.

The action is updated to World War II, with the Peter dropped at an orphanage by his mother, Mary, who actually comes from Neverland. The dreadful orphanage is borrowed from Dickens’ Oliver Twist, including the need for more porridge. Many will find these sequences obnoxious especially Catholic audiences. The orphanage of the Sisters of the Eternal Prudence, looking like Daughters Charity in the past, ruled by large tyrannical superior, Mother Barnabas, who and bearing woman beating the children, hiding an enormous amount of gold coins in the basement along with a huge supply of food, despite wartime rationing. There also secret files on all the orphans.

There is a particularly distasteful scene where Peter sees the traditional statue of the Virgin Mary and tweaks her nose - which opens the door into the basement. This aspect seems unnecessarily offensive. And the film returns at the end to the orphanage and the comeuppance of Mother Barnabas.

Hoping that the scenes in Neverland its would overcome some of these memories, this reviewer was very disappointed to find that the action was a conglomeration of hodgepodge, magic galleons sailing out of reach from British artillery during the Blitz, to find Neverland when Captain Blackbeard the pirate rules tyranically, boys captured from orphanages working in mines to discover fairy dust. He puts scapegoats to the plank, including Peter who survives by being able to fly. It would be nice to say the Blackbeard was a good part for Hugh Jackman but he performs with dastardly bombast.

There are various tribes in Neverland, with rather absurd costumes, ceremonials and rituals, especially for Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily – until she takes off an odd headdress and seems more normal, a cheerful point in the film. James Hook, later to become an enemy, is an ally of Peter, with Garrett Hedlund and his abroad American accent and his eye firmly on the exploits of Indiana Jones.

Later there are battles with the magical little fairies.

Not sure who the film was intended for – some children’s audiences may find the adventures enjoyable, but for parents and adult audiences, it is a rather trying experience, all the more disappointing for the talent behind the scenes, the cast, including young Levi Miller, quite creditable as Peter, special effects and stunts, huge budget for costumes and design, and director Joe Wright (Pride and Prejudice, Atonement, The List, and Karenina).

1. Audiences liking Peter Pan, knowing his story? The various versions?

2. A story of origins, myths about Peter Pan?

3. The 1940s, London, the Blitz, the orphanage, the mother and the note, his bonding with his school friend, hungry, wondering about his mother? The nuns, cruel, Irish, the meagre food, story of all the food in the basement, the statue of Mary, tweaking her nose, opening the trap door? The gold coins, the store of food, the files, the document about Peter – the nuns, the jibes, tearing up documents? The return to London at the end, Mother Barnabas, character, appearance, caricature, her comeuppance?

4. The visuals of the boys being taken by the pirates, onto the pirate ship? The Blitz, the military and the planes? The two boys, the friend falling? Peter’s leadership, going into space, on the sea, the island, the mines, the boys at work, the scapegoats to walk the plank, Peter on the plank?

5. Blackbeard, his appearance, the boys’ arrival, the crowd of boys, the chant of welcome? The supervision, the hard work, seeking the fairy dust? Peter falling from the plank, flying? Blackbeard’s character, villain, bombastic?

6. The pirates, the characters, Bishop and his managing, the thugs? Colourful types?

7. Hook, young, his type, Indiana Jones, friendship with Peter, adventurer, helping with the escapes, with Tiger Lily?

8. Peter, Hook taken, the tribe, the pomp, rituals, the costumes? Tiger Lilly?

9. Tiger Lily and her story, the story of Mary, with the fairies, the warrior, Peter and heard depositing him in England? Blackbeard and his explanation of what happened to Mary, the different story from Tiger Lily?

10. The boat, the crocodiles, fighting, the repairs? The presence of the Mermaids?

11. The world of the fairies, Tinker Bell, they’re organising, the attack, and Blackbeard’s death? Recognising Blackbeard’s death?

12. Hook and Smee, the betrayal? Finding the map?

13. The invasion, the flights, the ships, Tiger Lily, cooked leaving but his return? Tiger Lily and the relationship with Hawke? Bishop, the attack, his death? Cook falling, Peter catching him, and flying?

14. Peter, his identity, the importance of Mary, seeing her, her encouragement? His fulfilling his destiny?

15. Confronting Blackbeard, the fairies and, the issue of Mary? Blackbeard’s death?

16. Peter, return to London, finding his friend, the comeuppance of Mother Barnabas, saving the boys, their becoming the lost boys, the future, Peter Pan and Neverland?