Peter Pan and Wendy: Same Story, But the Lost Kids and the Darker Edges Are Softened by Fairy Dust

Karen Gordon

Rating: B

The world looked much different when Scottish novelist and playwright Sir J. M. Barrie wrote Peter Pan. 

The novel was inspired by five young brothers in the Llewleyn Davies family, and the games they—Barrie and the boys— would play together. The original “live” appearance of Peter - post novelization - was in a play that debuted in 1904.

That play inspired a psychological archetype, the person who lives in a stunted childhood frame of mind and refuses to grow up. In the cultural realm, it spawned a series of books, plays, a musical and movies, notably, the 1991 live action Hook, directed by Steven Spielberg, and the 1953 animated Disney movie, Peter Pan.  Disney’s Pan, which is a movie classic, is now 70 years old. So it’s no surprise that the House of the Mouse decided a reboot was due. 

The new version on Disney+, Peter Pan and Wendy, was directed by David Lowery, who reinterpreted and co-wrote it with Toby Halbrooks. As you can tell from the movie’s title, it shifts the story to give Wendy co-billing. It adds in some complexities, showing Peter in a slightly less-than-flattering light and gives Captain Hook a backstory. 

It also updates the casting in favour of diversity, starting with the casting of Peter Pan. The Lost Boys are now Lost Boys and Girls. And Tiger Lily, the “North American Indian” character, is played here by Canadian Cree actress Alyssa Wapanatâhk. She is a quiet, dignified young girl, who lives with her family in a very traditional way, and rides around Neverland on a beautiful white horse, keeping an eye on the Peter and his gang. 

Peter Pan & Wendy doesn’t diminish the male characters, but is girl positive, and shows its female characters as supportive, not antagonistic. Tiger Lily supports Wendy, as a calm, wise counsel.  Tinkerbell, who, in the original, resented Wendy because of the attention she was getting from Peter, is a quieter, gentler presence who either can’t speak, or speaks so softly that no one can hear her. Wendy watches her carefully to try and understand her.

These changes feel intuitive and natural in 2023. But the reinterpretation has also played around with the story, and softened some aspects, including the ending. What that does is sacrifice the film’s resonance for something perhaps more palatable to its target family audience. 

The film begins, as always, in the bedroom of the Darling house, where older sister Wendy (Ever Anderson), and her brothers John, (Joshua Pickering) and Michael (Jacobi Jupe) are in their pjs, pretend-playing games based on Peter Pan, fighting the pirates.  They’re admonished by their stern but loving parents, Mom (Molly Parker) and Father (Alan Tudyk), who want them to go to sleep.

Then, in the night, Tinkerbell (Yara Shahidi) flies into their room followed by Peter Pan (Alexander Molony). Of course, the three Darling children, delighted to discover that Peter is not just a story book character, happily follow him out the window, and - with a little touch of Tink’s fairy dust – fly with her and Peter to Neverland.

Trouble starts immediately. They are still in the sky when they are spotted by one of the crew members on a pirate ship.  Of course, It is the ship of the notorious Captain Hook (Jude Law) a worse-for-wear looking Captain who has a hook where one of his hands should be.  

He has an aversion to a variety of things. Pocket watches, and hearing the name Peter Pan spoken out loud, are two things guaranteed to spark murderous rage. His first mate Smee (Jim Gaffigan), moves in to soothe him, but where Peter Pan is concerned, even Smee has a hard time keeping Hook in check.  

Much of the movie is shaped by the enduring fight between Hook and Pan, which Wendy, John and Michael get swept up in.  That allows for some action sequences, including sword duels, and special effects including a “flying ship” scene.

And yes, there is a crocodile, a giant one, who is after Hook. But he appears for but one brief action sequence. 

We also follow the Lost Boys and Girls back to the ruins where they live. They seem perhaps neglected by Peter, who disappears to his room to sulk. The boys and girls start to look to Wendy as a kind of mother figure, having been told that she’ll tell them bedtime stories. 

It seems that she’s been brought to Neverland to be a surrogate mom. 

Wendy may still be a child, but in the chaotic life of these lost children, and of course protecting her brothers, she is revealed as a solid, loving, courageous protective young woman.  And ultimately, she wants answers to what’s really going on in Neverland. 

The movie looks great. The casting is wonderful. Ever Anderson, (who looks a lot like her mother Milla Jovovich) is lovely as Wendy. Alexander Molony captures Pan’s charisma, taking him into a slightly darker range without diminishing his appeal.  And, no surprise Jude Law, in makeup that makes him look awful as Captain Hook,  adds a level of depth that helps give the film more emotional complexity than is in the script.  Wapanathâht is outstanding as Tiger Lily. 

The original Pan, or at least the Pan that my generation grew up with, plays as an adventure story, fueled by magic and outsized characters. But it’s laced with a melancholy message. Choosing eternal childhood means living away from your family. And it comes to an ending that is deeply sad: the hard reality that youth recedes, and even if you have the wonderful life of the Darling family, not even that fierce and genuine love can stop the ticking clock of time.

Personally, the thing I love most about Peter Pan is that exact thing: the contrast of the joys of being a child, with the gut punch reminder that there’s no Neverland, no magical way back to childhood. For better or for worse, it’s gone forever.

By softening the story, Lowery has diminished that sting, and made something that - while  pretty to look at and entertaining enough for family night around the TV - loses something deeper.

The kids are alright after all. And as far as the 2023 version goes, I suspect that will be enough for many.

Peter Pan & Wendy. Written by David Lowery and Toby Halbrooks,  starring Alexander Molony, Ever Anderson,   Jude Law, Jim Gaffigan,  Yara Shahidi and Alyssa Wapanatâhk. Premieres on Disney+, April 28.