Peter Pan & Wendy has released on Disney Plus today, marking a particularly exciting event for fans of the original 1953 animated film, detractors of the original 1953 film, people who like to complain about Disney not being original anymore, and just about anyone that has a passing interest in the House of Mouse, be it positive or negative.
The trailer certainly looked like a lot of fun, with newcomer Alexander Molony looking right at home in Peter Pan’s shoes and Jude Law relishing the opportunity to bring Captain Hook to life. Indeed, if there was one thing we knew we were in for, it’s a Peter Pan story that was given the blockbuster treatment, which could have gone one of two ways.
Thankfully, it sounds like David Lowery’s passion project came out on the stronger side with critics. While no one was lauding it as an improvement on the original or as a groundbreaking adaptation in any way, the consensus seems to be a respectfully-handled reimagining of the classic Disney tale, with plenty of fantasy spectacle and charm to boot.
Awards Radar‘s Joey Magidson noted that the film’s unimpressive yet inoffensive edge mostly stems from its status as a classic Disney film reboot, with Lowery’s touch giving it that extra edge it needed to stick the landing.
“Peter Pan & Wendy isn’t an especially necessary new version of the classic, but it’s executed well enough that you likely won’t mind. No one is going to be blown away, but no one is likely to be disappointed, either. While I’m eager for Lowery to get back to more challenging material, he also has a light touch with Disney that serves both parties very well.”
Jo Berry of Digital Spy was extra praiseful of Law’s performance as Captain Hook, but also noted that fans looking for a pound-for-pound reimagining of the classic story won’t find that in Peter Pan & Wendy.
“Ultimately, this isn’t a movie that will thrill those who love the book or previous versions of the story. But if you’re looking for an easy watch – and an hour and a half of Jude Law brilliance – it’s definitely worth a try.”
And Solzy At The Movies‘ Danielle Solzman suggested that the departure from the original film’s story was one of the biggest assets of the film’s overall quality.
“The character is given an opportunity to evolve on screen in a way we’ve never seen in previous adaptations. Meanwhile, the film takes her character’s look in a different direction from 1953. It’s really for the best.”
This plunge was never going to be much of a risk to begin with, given that the film is a Disney Plus exclusive, but for those of you who were worried about losing 106 minutes of your life, it sounds like you can safely discard those fears.
Peter Pan & Wendy is now streaming on Disney Plus.