‘Pan’ Film Review: Peter Pan Origin Story Good for Kids

It’s all way too much, and too loud and just… a bit stupid. But you know what? It somehow works. It works if you go to the movies sacrificing your adult need to be entertained on an adult level.
Mark Jackson
Mark Jackson
Film Critic
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Did Peter Pan really need an origin story? Is it perhaps a bit too much desperation in Hollywood’s never-ending search for fresh product? Is the venerable Pan story too classic for that? Should we really be concerned?

The good news is, um … no? Also good news is that it’s not abominable. It’s actually not that bad—for children. Maybe a little dark. But children these days have already seen much, much worse. In fact, considering what they can avail themselves of, on the down-low, away from the eyes of parents—this “Pan” could almost be considered therapeutic.

I say “almost.” Blackbeard at one point shouts, “You shall be rewarded with confectionary!” Children love confectionary more than life itself. But that doesn’t mean it’s good for them. Sugar is bad. This “Pan” is cinematic confectionary. Therefore, “Pan” may only taste good, and not actually be good for them.

Away to Neverland

Little Peter (Levi Miller) is a courageous boy in a Dickensian orphanage with nasty nuns, amid World War II London bombings and buzzing Nazi Messerschmitts everywhere.

(L–R) Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily, Levi Miller as Peter and Garrett Hedlund as Hook in Warner Bros. Pictures' and RatPac-Dune Entertainment's action adventure "Pan," a Warner Bros. Pictures release. (Warner Bros. Pictures/Ratpac-Dune Entertainment LLC)
(L–R) Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily, Levi Miller as Peter and Garrett Hedlund as Hook in Warner Bros. Pictures' and RatPac-Dune Entertainment's action adventure "Pan," a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Warner Bros. Pictures/Ratpac-Dune Entertainment LLC
Mark Jackson
Mark Jackson
Film Critic
Mark Jackson is the chief film critic for The Epoch Times. In addition to film, he enjoys martial arts, motorcycles, rock-climbing, qigong, and human rights activism. Jackson earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Williams College, followed by 20 years' experience as a New York professional actor. He narrated The Epoch Times audiobook "How the Specter of Communism is Ruling Our World," available on iTunes, Audible, and YouTube. Mark is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic.
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