RETURN TO NEVER LAND
The 1953 Disney classic Peter Pan resonated throughout a generation,
inspiring, among other things, a psychobabble category for men who never grow
up, an award-winning short story in which Tinkerbell grows large and seduces
Peter, and an edgy vampire flick. But lately, whenever Disney returns to
well-trodden ground, the result is straight-to-video; why can't anyone after
Walt understand that these stories can and should appeal to adults, too? Even
the lame live-action Hook was watchable compared to directors Robin Budd
and Donovan Cook's Return to Never Land. Set during World WarII, the
story begins with Wendy as a happy young wife and mother. Dad has to go fight
the Nazis, and daughter Jane becomes the logical "man" of the house, dismissing
Wendy's Never Land as "poppycock." But when Jane is kidnapped by Hook and his
bumbling pirates, she has to admit she believes. There's little to like here:
Peter is an irritating sap, the Lost Boys have one joke between them, and
Tinkerbell is a bottle-blond Wilma Flintstone look-alike. I did enjoy Hook and
Mr. Smee (homoeroticized this time, at least), but not Jonatha Brooke's lame
pop songs. In its quest for nostalgia, Disney should re-use rather than
recycle. At the Apple Valley, Entertainment, Holiday, Hoyts Providence 16,
and Showcase cinemas.
Issue Date: February 15 - 21, 2002
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