Is Peter Pan and Wendy Bad? | Honest Review

Peter Pan and Wendy starts off with so much whimsical, nostalgic, cozy Disney promise but quickly loses its footing with character and narrative choices that leaves viewers feeling like a bunch of lost boys.

Is Peter Pan and Wendy Bad?

A live adaptation of the popular 1953 Disney movie, Peter Pan, Peter Pan and Wendy follows Wendy  and her two brothers as Peter Pan and Tinker Bell sweep them off to Neverland, a place for children who don't want to grow up. While in Neverland, they must fight off Peter Pan's archnemesis, Captain Hook, with the help of the lost boys and the indigenous people of Neverland. 

**Heads Up There WILL NOT be spoilers in this review.**

The Promising Beginning of Peter Pan and Wendy

Peter Pan and Wendy starts off in a warm house with enchanting, green wallpaper, slowly easing us into the fantastical world of Neverland that is soon to be introduced.

We see siblings playfully take each other on in imaginative swordplay before Wendy breaks a mirror with an enthusiastic swing which abruptly puts an end to their fun.

Wendy’s mother gently reminds Wendy that she has to be a good example to her two brothers and that it’s time for her to grow up now that she’s going off to boarding school.

Wendy does not want to go to school and declares that she doesn’t want to grow up.

After Wendy’s mother sings a soothing lullaby about watching her children grow, she leaves the children to sleep and this is when Peter Pan makes his entrance.

This is supposed to be the part of the movie where the magic begins but instead, this is where the magic begins to fade.

The Characters

Wendy and her brothers led the charge with their cute, British accents, and believable siblingship. When Peter and Tinkerbell enter the equation, eyebrows begin to raise.

Peter Pan, as the main character of this movie, takes some time to get used to simply because the whole movie, you’re trying to figure out if you like the kid.

For myself, I unfortunately never got to the point where I did. Peter Pan fell a few notches short of charismatic. Instead of the lovable troublemaker that he’s intended to be, he comes off as overconfident, smug, and toxic.

Tinkerbell’s contributions to the movie equate the potato salad with raisins in it that no one took a bite of at Thanksgiving. Yes, she’s there, but does she really need to be?

I’m familiar with Yara Shahidi’s work as an actress and this did not feel like the most fitting role for her. I do wish that the makeup/hair/looks department would have adorned her with some brightly colored hair, and more magical makeup so that she is more believably from another world.

Quite frankly, she looked too regular which made it hard to believe that she was a magical being. I just kept seeing Yara Shahidi in front of a green screen, making exaggerated faces. Definitely took me out of the wonder of Neverland.

The lost boys are a hodge-podge of elementary acting skills which is ok for your local play but for a big-budget movie, we can shoot for better synergy and fluidity among the budding superstars than this.

The Narrative

I marked exactly when I started to lose total interest in the film – 30 minutes in. (cue tiny violin music) I never was able to find my interest again after that.

Once we reach Neverland, this magical world where time no longer exists, somehow the magic dissipates. All of a sudden, the childlike imagination and wonder that had been capitalized on at the beginning of the film is quickly forgotten.

We’re met with a string of what feels like meaningless fights between Captain Hook and lackluster allies like the disjointed lost boys and an indigenous warrior named Tiger Lily, whose sole purpose seems primarily to help Peter Pan.

Why is everyone’s life mission just to help Peter Pan?

Peter Pan’s allies like Tinkerbell and Tiger Lily, don’t get enough backstory to constitute their loyalty to him. There’s a lot of holes in the character’s motivations, which makes the narrative difficult to believe.

The fight scenes lack oomph and the “fantastical” flying moments are obviously just people being held up by strings. Again, hurting the believability of the narrative.

The whole film just feels like it’s going nowhere and the character development that is attempted across the narrative is abrupt and nonsensical.

The end of the film leaves a lot of unanswered questions, annoyances, and several misdemeanors.

The Director

The director of this movie, David Lowery, is the same director of the fantasy film, The Green Knight, another movie that I thoroughly disliked, even more than this one.

If I had known that they had allowed Lowery to make another fantasy story, I would have lowered my expectations accordingly for Peter Pan and Wendy. But alas, I was ill-prepared and had to watch yet another naturally magical story be viciously drained of all things fantastical about it.

Again, something with so much sparkle dulled to a story less interesting than real life.

In Conclusion…

So, is Peter Pan and Wendy bad? Peter Pan and Wendy is not the worst but it is a bad movie. Unimaginative, dull, and unconvincing, this film falls below an average score.

Peter Pan and Wendy had all of the potential to be a fascinating revival of the beloved childhood story. Unfortunately, rather than maintain the lively energy of magic and fantasy throughout a story that praises those qualities, it all too quickly tapers out into the most baseless back-and-forth between two characters you feel no reason to care about.

Despite its flaws, this movie did have a good main actress playing Wendy (Ever Anderson) and was able to excite viewers in the beginning, but in terms of wanting to return to Neverland, how about never again?

Rating 4/10

What did you think of Peter Pan and Wendy? Let me know in the comments below!

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Peace, love, and lots of popcorn,

IMO