Review of Hook

When Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman) kidnaps his children, an adult Peter Pan (Robin Williams) must return to Neverland and reclaim his youthful spirit in order to save his children & challenge his old enemy. Hook, line, and tinker. Some people might not think its Barrie good: but I think it's alright for a children film. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the movie ask the question, most people never thought before; what if Peter Pan grew up? This movie look like a sequel to the Disney's 1953 animated movie version of the novel J.M Barrie's 1911 novel Peter and Wendy. Still, it has some of the mature elements of the original novel, which was more geared toward adults than children. It digs deep into the psychological of Puer aeternus AKA Pan syndrome. Like Wendy in the original novel, the modern day, Peter Pan learns the bad side of never growing up, when he learn that due to his neglect, his relationship with both Wendy and Tinker Bell went soured. He was never able to witness the joys of adulthood. When he does choose to grow up, his quest for success, often came with the price of his family feeling neglected. It's nice to see the one-dimensional Peter Pan, have a character arch, here. The movie tells why it's so important, to grow up, but not too fast that you lose your inner child. The collision between responsibility and eternal boyhood is a great conflict. Not surprisingly, those portions of the film that involve Peter Banning and his family are considered the most genuine heart-felt and emotional affecting aspects of Hook. You really felt for him, when Captain Hook brainwash his child, in thinking that he can be a better father than Peter Pan. I love the clock breaking scene. The troubled relationship between Peter and his son echoed Spielberg's relationship with his father and you see it in this film. Robin Williams is great in the lead role. You would never think of him, as a Peter Pan character, but he tries his hardest to look and play the part. I just really glad, they never gave the role to pop singer, Michael Jackson, a over obsessed fan, because he doesn't have the acting range that can show that conflict. He never truly understood the reasons of growing up. Jackson was disappointed that he wasn't able to play the role on screen that supposedly he tried to put a voodoo curse on Spielberg. Talk about somebody needs to grow up. Another great memorable performance is that of Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook in one of his best performances, ever. He has the right balance of villainous. Even supporting characters like Dante Basco as Rufio, Bob Hoskins as Smee & Maggie Smith as Wendy were amazing in the roles. Julia Roberts as Tinker Hell is questionable. She has that sweetheart look, but lacks the jealous and deceiving nature of Tinker Bell of the original novel. She was hard to work with. It's weird to see cameos like Phil Collins, Gwyneth Paltrow, Glenn Close, David Crosby, George Lucas, and Carrie Fischer, but it didn't hurt the film. While Hook look pretty epic, Hook was shot almost entirely on sound stages rather than real life locations. It gave that felt of the early 1930s fantasy Golden Age of Pirates movies. The set designs were pretty good, despite it looking kinda unrealistic and cheap. I love the whole Pirate ship set. It's a bit weird, that Tinker Bell drop Peter Pan off here in the beginning of the film than the Lost Boys tree. It's like dropping off, a deer in a wolves den. I guess, she was indeed deceiving. I like, how Hook can't find the Lost Boys hideout, despite its being clear, that it's the tree, anyways. There were so misguide attempts to get 1990s children, watching this film. I found it a bit weird, for the majority of the Lost Boys act like children of the 1990s, than turn of the Century children. I didn't know, the 1900s had Basketball, Mohawk hairstyles and skate boards. I kinda wish that Michael and John from the original book made an appearance, but it does makes sense why they weren't there. The action is a hit and a miss. I know, it's a children movie, but why is the Lost Boys fighting the Pirates in such non-lethal ways with Eggs and pies? Children do die here, yet they're fighting them as if it's a fantasy kid friendly Home Alone corny style action. Despite that, the sword fights, the movie does have, are pretty good. The music is another good, about the film. John Williams's music is beautiful to listen to. The movie does have some stupid over the top whimsical music clichés moments like a child singing badly in the moonlight. She's no American Tail, Tanya. The movie does other stupid moments like the imagination food scene. Yes, children, rather than search for food, just imagine food, so you don't starve. Some stupid plot-holes things are hard to overlook like how a baby grown up to be 12 years old in Neverland despite the place, being a place, where nobody grows old. It's also seem odd, that the Pirates knows everything about Peter Pan's life after he left Neverland, but still shock to see him as an adult. I guess, there were a lot of foreshadowing; since there were lots of Hook symbolism. I like how the voice of the plane captain in the beginning was indeed Dustin Hoffman, and the trash sweeper in the end, could be Smee. Its Easter eggs like this that make it, a good re-watch value. Overall: People either love or hate this movie. Personally, I love it. I will say it, it was a great nostalgia family film that could need a little bit more work. Compare to other live action sequels to animated movies. It's a lot better than them. If you haven't seen it, check it out. Bangarang!