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'Pan': Peter Pan flies low in prequel
In Pan, director Joe Wright produces his own version of JM Barrieâs tale, telling the story of how a boy becomes the famous Peter Pan
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Levi Miller stars as Peter in Pan, director Joe Wrightâs own version of JM Barrieâs tale.(Warner Bros. Pictures)" height="215" border="0" width="512">Levi Miller stars as Peter in Pan, director Joe Wrightâs own version of JM Barrieâs tale.(Warner Bros. Pictures)Peter finds a pixum, but it is immediately stolen by another worker, who then accuses Peter of lying. As a consequence, he is taken to a punishment arena where he is to be dropped into a deep ravine.
To everyoneâs surprise, Peter does not fall, demonstrating for the first time his ability to fly.
Blackbeard tells Peter about the prophecy about a boy who can fly and will lead a revolt against him.
To prevent it happening, Blackbeard puts Peter behind bars, where he meets Captain James Hook (Garret Hedlund) â who in Barrieâs original story is Blackbeardâs boatswain â who persuades him to cooperate to escape Neverland.
They manage to find their way out with a flying ship, but later crash in Neverwood forest where they meet Tiger Lily (Rooney Mara), the princess of the jungleâs native tribe.
Peter learns a lot about his mother from her, and is excited as ever to find his mother. But before he can start looking, the village is ambushed by Blackbeardâs troops.
Pan shows lavish visual excitement, where all sets â Neverland, Neverwood, the fairy kingdom, even a brief underwater world â take the viewer to imaginary places that feel so real.
Mara and Jackman perfectly inhabit their roles, but Hedlundâs portrayal of Captain Hook is confusing â he seems more Indiana Jones than Hook.
Levi Miller stars as Peter in Pan,<)
In Pan, director Joe Wright produces his own version of JM Barrie's tale, telling the story of how a boy becomes the famous Peter Pan.
Pan is a prequel to JM Barrie's narrative, highlighting the childhood story of the 12-year-old Peter (Levi Miller), who lives in a London orphanage during World War II.
Peter is always curious, which often gets him into trouble, especially when he notices that many of the beds in his dorm are empty every morning without him knowing when or where the boys are leaving the orphanage.
He thinks that the boys are being evacuated, but soon realizes that it is Mother Barnabas (Kathy Burke) selling the children to pirates, who need cheap labor for their mines.
The pirates come every night in their flying ship, dropping through the roof and grabbing the children, including, eventually, Peter, from their beds.
Unlike the other boys, who remain on the lower deck once the ship flies away, Peter secretly roams around the upper part of the ship, where he witnesses a battle between the ship and Britain's jet squadron above London's rooftops.
The sequence where the ship maneuvers and makes its way up through the clouds heading to outer space, leaving Peter in awe of what he sees around him, is one of the film's most captivating scenes.
His adventure in Neverland begins as the ship makes its dramatic entrance while the infant miners sing a rendition of Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' under the direction of Blackbeard (Hugh Jackman) to welcome the new orphans.
It takes a while to recognize Jackman behind his chignon, hideous makeup and black warrior costume.
In his welcome speech, Blackbeard commands a search for fairy crystals, or pixum, which he believes will make him immortal.
Peter finds a pixum, but it is immediately stolen by another worker, who then accuses Peter of lying. As a consequence, he is taken to a punishment arena where he is to be dropped into a deep ravine.
To everyone's surprise, Peter does not fall, demonstrating for the first time his ability to fly.
Blackbeard tells Peter about the prophecy about a boy who can fly and will lead a revolt against him.
To prevent it happening, Blackbeard puts Peter behind bars, where he meets Captain James Hook (Garret Hedlund) ' who in Barrie's original story is Blackbeard's boatswain ' who persuades him to cooperate to escape Neverland.
They manage to find their way out with a flying ship, but later crash in Neverwood forest where they meet Tiger Lily (Rooney Mara), the princess of the jungle's native tribe.
Peter learns a lot about his mother from her, and is excited as ever to find his mother. But before he can start looking, the village is ambushed by Blackbeard's troops.
Pan shows lavish visual excitement, where all sets ' Neverland, Neverwood, the fairy kingdom, even a brief underwater world ' take the viewer to imaginary places that feel so real.
Mara and Jackman perfectly inhabit their roles, but Hedlund's portrayal of Captain Hook is confusing ' he seems more Indiana Jones than Hook.
Miller, in his debut feature, meanwhile, is too serious and fails to show the playful side of Peter Pan.
The film also lacks chemistry among its cast, leading to a kind of emotion vacancy ' surprising in a film with as much potential to touch hearts.
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Pan (Warner Bros. Pictures, 111 minutes)
Director: Joe Wright
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Rooney Mara, Levi Miller, Garret Hedlund, Amanda Seyfried
Screenplay: Jason Fuchs
