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NEVERLAND — As we all know at this point, Disney is doing everything it can to grab as much of your cash as it can. Their latest money printer has been turning old animated favorites into new live-action films.
Many are eager and curious about "The Little Mermaid," which will swim into theaters in May. But the latest live-action remake is "Peter Pan and Wendy," now streaming on Disney+.
Many families likely hope this new adventure will be the perfect movie night at home. Each will have their own opinion, but I don't think this one will be remembered as one of Disney's greatest.
Here are a few reasons I didn't think "Peter Pan and Wendy" reached the heights I had hoped it would.
It lacks humor
I wasn't expecting this movie to be a laugh-a-minute, but I was hoping for some fun jokes and visuals. There were occasional attempts, and we even have a great comedian (Jim Gaffigan) playing Smee, but the laughs weren't there. The whole thing seemed to take itself a bit too seriously. I cracked a smile once or twice, but that was about it.
As a child, I loved the animated feature "Peter Pan," but as I got older, I realized that Peter and Wendy weren't the reasons I liked it. It was the Lost Boys and the pirates that made it fun. Peter was too conceited and selfish, and Wendy was so serious and kind of a buzz-kill. There seems to be more of the same here, but the pirates aren't fun and the Lost Boys seem to be lost in the movie and barely get any screen time.
I did enjoy some of the changes they made to Wendy, turning her into more of a hero, which was fitting. Still, a movie like this needs humor to keep both adults and children engaged, and, I think, "Peter Pan and Wendy" missed the boat on this aspect.
The retread got boring
My biggest complaint about these Disney remakes is that they are near carbon copies of the original animated movies. While there are some clever updates to this story — like the Wendy adaptation mentioned above and a plot twist with Captain Hook (I'll keep it under my hat) — this is the same movie we've seen a thousand times before.
What's more, with this particular story, is how often it has been told. While "Beauty and the Beast" and "Aladdin" were almost the same movie as their animated counterparts, we had not seen that story from a thousand different studios over the years. There are so many variations of Peter Pan and Wendy, and it has been done so many times that I got bored. I knew this narrative too well and nothing in this version surprised me or stood out.
There is a lack of chemistry
When actors have a strong bond or chemistry it is evident on the screen, pulling the audience in and keeping them there. "Peter Pan and Wendy" has fine actors. Still, somehow they all seem to be acting around one another instead of connecting. It's hard to explain in words, but watching the movie gave me the feeling that no one seemed to be having a good time making the film, and the actors were merely just co-workers.
Jude Law was a good choice for Hook, and I like Gaffigan as Smee, but there is no connection between the two as they act the part. As for the actors portraying Peter and Wendy, they felt even more disconnected. Getting lost in the story and characters with lifeless interactions took a lot of work.
Conclusion
Some might say I am too harsh with "Peter Pan and Wendy," but it just did not connect with me. The film is beautifully shot, and I appreciated some minor additions or alterations, but I was not entertained — which is an issue when watching an adventure film.
"Peter Pan and Wendy" is officially rated PG for violence, peril and thematic elements. The movie is now streaming on Disney+.
