"PETER PAN"
(2003) (Jeremy Sumpter, Jason Isaacs) (PG)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Mild	Mild	Extreme	*Moderate	Extreme
Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Moderate	None	Extreme	None	None
Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
*Minor	Minor	Mild	Moderate	*Heavy

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QUICK TAKE:

Action/Adventure: A girl and her two brothers travel from their English home to Neverland where they help Peter Pan, a boy who will never grow up, battle his archenemy, Captain Hook.

PLOT:

It's long ago and Wendy Darling (RACHEL HURD-WOOD) is a young girl sharing her London home with her two younger brothers, John (HARRY NEWELL) and Michael (FREDDIE POPPLEWELL). Her pushy Aunt Millicent (LYNN REDGRAVE) doesn't think that or Wendy's desire to be a novelist is proper or fitting for a young woman. Thus, she informs Wendy's parents (JASON ISAACS & OLIVIA WILLIAMS) that Wendy should have her own room. That and other events eventually cause her father to tell Wendy that it's time for her to grow up.

Then, on the last night of sharing the room with her brothers, a figure suddenly appears at the window and then inside. It's Peter Pan (JEREMY SUMPTER), a boy who's never grown up and can't control his own shadow. After Wendy helps him capture it, he invites her and her brothers to return with him to Neverland where they'll never have to worry about adults or related issues again.

Despite Peter's fairy friend, Tinker Bell (LUDIVINE SAGNIER), being jealous of Wendy, Peter enables her and her brothers to fly and soon they're off for Neverland. There, they meet the Lost Boys - Slightly (THEODORE CHESTER), Nibs (HARRY EDEN), the Twins (LACHLAN AND PATRICK GOOCH), Curly (GEORGE MacKAY) and Tootles (RUPERT SIMONIAN), as well as Tiger Lily (CARSEN GRAY), an Indian.

Their arrival causes a change for the better in the weather and signals Captain Hook (JASON ISAACS) and his crew of pirates, including the likes of Smee (RICHARD BRIERS) and Cookson (BRUCE SPENCE), that their archenemy, Peter Pan has arrived. Ever since a huge crocodile bit off the Captain's hand, Hook has wanted his revenge on Peter.

From that point on and while trying to persuade both Tinker Bell and Wendy to help him, Hook sets out to capture and kill Peter at any and all costs.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?

If they're fans of the classic tale, or anyone in the cast, it's a good bet they will.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG

For adventure action sequences and peril.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:

JEREMY SUMPTER plays an adventurous boy who refuses to grow up, enjoys his battles with Hook and finds himself drawn to Wendy.

JASON ISAACS plays the one-armed pirate captain who wants his revenge on Peter and will do anything to get that (including killing some of his own crew members). The actor also plays the kids' busy father who isn't sure of himself at home or at work.

RACHEL HURD-WOOD plays a young girl who finds herself in a dream-like world where she helps Peter Pan battle Captain Hook.

HARRY NEWELL player her younger brother who accompanies his siblings to Neverland.

FREDDIE POPPLEWELL plays their younger brother.

OLIVIA WILLIAMS plays the kids' loving mother who worries about them when they disappear and then sits at vigil awaiting their return.

LUDIVINE SAGNIER plays a mischievous fairy who's jealous of Peter's fondness of Wendy and attacks and tries to have her killed.

RICHARD BRIERS plays one of Hook's pirates in his crew.

LYNN REDGRAVE plays Wendy's aunt who doesn't think the Darlings are raising her to be a proper young lady and thus takes it upon herself to do that.

THEODORE CHESTER, HARRY EDEN, LACHLAN AND PATRICK GOOCH, GEORGE MacKAY and RUPERT SIMONIAN plays the disheveled Lost Boys who view Peter Pan as their father and then Wendy as their mother.

CARSEN GRAY plays the Indian Tiger Lily.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

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Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

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OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

The following is a brief summary of the content found in this action/adventure film that's been rated PG. The head villain kills several of his incompetent crewmembers (gunshots and a stabbing, but no immediate impact or any blood) and tries to kill the hero and others (via gunshots, canon fire, poisoning and sword fighting, etc.).

An arrow hits a girl and she appears to be dead and a fairy reacts adversely to being poisoned (but both are ultimately okay), some characters struggle and fight, and a monstrous crocodile repeatedly tries to attack a character and swallows one whole.

While some slapstick style material (people being knocked down, hitting their heads, crashing to the floor, etc.) is also present, those other scenes and additional perilous moments occasionally have some bloody results. They may also be unsettling, suspenseful or downright scary to younger viewers (all dependent on their age, level of maturity and tolerance for such material). Some of the sword fighting and other action and stunts may be enticing for some kids to imitate, as might a few colorful phrases.

Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, a few drink, one smokes and a mother shows some cleavage in her low-cut dress. Finally, some tense family material is present in the form of a mother worrying about her missing children.

If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

For those concerned with flashes of light on the screen, some of that occurs during a thunderstorm.

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ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE

Aunt Millicent and Mr. & Mrs. Darling have what looks like after dinner drinks, with Mr. Darling guzzling his down.

Adults have drinks at a formal party.

Captain Hook drinks something from a shell-shaped drinking glass.

BLOOD/GORE

We see what may be a bucket of human waste being poured over the side of the ship.

We briefly see the stub on Captain Hook's arm (it may be a little unsettling for younger kids who've never seen an amputee).

A crewmember has what looks like a small bloody wound on his face.

Upset at the incompetence around him, Captain Hook shoots one of his own men. We see a small and slightly blood bullet hole in the pirate's shirt before he falls into some water.

Peter Pan has a slight cut mark on his chest from Captain Hook's hook.

We see a pirate with warts all over his face.

We see a little bit of blood on Peter Pan's head following a fight with Captain Hook.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE

Hook and his pirate crew have bad attitudes for kidnapping the kids and wanting to capture and kill Peter Pan (while Hook kills some of his own men).

Aunt Millicent says that Wendy becoming a novelist wouldn't be a good thing since they're not looked upon highly in society and are hard to marry off.

Tinker Bell is jealous of Wendy and hits and tries to set her up to be killed.

John refers to Tiger Lily (an Indian) as a "savage." Likewise, some might not like a scene where some of the kids are dressed in Indian garb and run around making stereotypical Indian warrior sounds.

When Wendy wants to give one last thing to Peter Pan, Captain Hook snidely remarks, "How like a girl."

FRIGHTENING SCENES

Scenes listed under "Violence" might also be unsettling, suspenseful or scary to some younger viewers, all depending on their age, level of maturity and tolerance for such material. Older kids will likely have little if any problems with the material.

We briefly see the stub on Captain Hook's arm (it may be a little unsettling for younger kids who've never seen an amputee).

Captain Hook's appearance, demeanor and actions might be a bit unsettling or even scary to younger kids.

A canon is fired at Peter Pan, Wendy and her brothers who are hanging out in the sky on some clouds. Wendy is blown backwards, while her brothers hang precariously on the edge of the cloud.

John and Michael fall through the sky, tumble through some trees and then land in a body of water. They then wander into a cave where they hear a ticking sound coming from what looks like a large rock. A huge eye then opens on it and they realize they've awakened a monster-sized crocodile that briefly comes after them.

Tinker Bell informs the Lost Boys that Wendy is a bird that needs to be shot from the sky. The boys then fire arrows at her (we see them coming at her), with one hitting her (no impact and from a distance), causing her to fall from the sky. She then appears to be dead on the ground (with an arrow sticking out of her), but Peter Pan removes the arrow (no blood) and sees that an acorn he earlier gave her took the blow and saved her life.

Some kids (and others) might not like talk about gutting and killing of others.

Captain Hook holds his sharp hook to Tiger Lily's neck.

After Peter Pan warns Wendy that some approaching mermaids are not the stereotypical friendly type, the creatures swim up to them. They have a rather creepy appearance (that might scare little kids) with webbed hands and sharp nails. One then reaches out to Wendy and tries to lure her into the water.

We see some skeletons chained to a large rock and partially submerged in some water. Hook's men then chain John and Michael on that rock in place of the skeletons (to be used as bait for Peter Pan).

Wendy hides behind some large rocks as Captain Hook looks around and thinks he hears something.

A canon fires a net that catches Peter Pan and then sinks him below the surface of some water (where he struggles and cuts the netting with his knife to escape). When he surfaces, however, he comes up at Captain Hook's feet. Hook then hits Peter Pan on the head and holds his hook to Peter Pan's chest.

The monster-sized crocodile shows up and comes after Captain Hook who tries to avoid its repeated snapping at him (that ends with the croc's jaws lodged on either side of a statue arm where Captain Hook stands).

We see the pirates converging around Wendy's small house in the forest. When the door opens, she's then on the pirate ship.

Peter Pan and Wendy have a swordfight, with Peter Pan holding his sword to her neck.

A scraggly but menacing looking parrot comes at Tinker Bell (who's much smaller than it, making it look monstrous), but she ends up knocking and locking it inside a glass case.

We see that pirates have the boys bound and gagged and they then grab Wendy and gag her as well.

Captain Hook's dual-hook is just above Peter Pan as he tries to reach down and snag him but is just a few too many inches away.

Captain Hook lets a drop of fatal poison fall into Peter Pan's "cup" of medicine. Peter Pan is unaware of this and nearly drinks from the cup. Tinker Bell, however, races there and twice stops him from doing so. The second time, however, she ingests some of it and immediately reacts adversely (losing her color and appearing weak).

Captain Hook prepares to have his young prisoners walk the plank as a thunderstorm grows around them.

Captain Hook holds his sharp hook to Wendy's throat. He then has her walk the plank, blindfolded, with the ticking sounds of the monster-sized crocodile indicating it's nearby. Captain Hook then bounces the plank to make her fall off, but there's no resultant splash sound.

Hook fires at a shadow, while another pirate shoots at Wendy, but apparently hits another pirate who we see falling.

Peter Pan and Captain Hook get into a swordfight as do the other kids with the other pirates, including one character punching another, two pirates accidentally stabbing each other with their swords (no blood) and one smashing into some rigging.

Captain Hook uses some fairy dust to allow himself to fly and he has a swordfight with Peter Pan in midair. Peter Pan kicks him backwards and then again into a sail where a large pulley nearly hits Captain Hook. Captain Hook then tries to psyche-out Peter Pan and kicks him back through a sail. He then holds a sword to Peter Pan's neck, kicks him back, hits him on the head, holds his head by the hair and throws him to the deck.

We see a little bit of blood on Peter Pan's head following a fight with Captain Hook.

Wendy hits a pirate and Captain Hook then throws her to the deck next to Peter Pan where he plans to kill both of them.

The monster-sized crocodile gets beneath Captain Hook (who's flying) and repeatedly leaps out of the water at him. Captain Hook tries to remain afloat, but the kids psyche him out and he falls down toward the crocodile that swallows him whole.

GUNS/WEAPONS

Swords/Knives/Captain Hook's hook/Canons/Pistols/Rifles: Carried and/or used to threaten, fight, wound, kill others or cause property damage.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR

Phrases: "Blithering idiot," "If you were me, I'd be ugly," what sounded like "Putrid spawn," "Prepare to meet thy doom," "Not bad for an old man" and "Brace yourself lads."

All of the sword play, stunts and other action (including trying to fly) might be enticing for some kids to try to imitate.

Tinker Bell mischievously makes a mess in the kids' room.

Peter Pan tells Wendy that he ran away from home.

John tries to fly by running off his bed, but goes airborne only for a moment before crashing hard to the floor.

Captain Hook has various tattoos.

Tiger Lily spits at Captain Hook.

Some of the kids are dressed in Indian garb and running around making stereotypical Indian warrior sounds.

JUMP SCENES

None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)

An extreme amount of suspenseful, ominous and heavily dramatic music plays in the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)

None.

PROFANITY

None.

SEX/NUDITY

Note: A few readers have written in to report possible nudity (bare butts) when John and Michael are strung upside down in the air. Since the MPAA (and it's large number of reviewers) didn't list that as a reason for the PG rating (which they otherwise would) and the majority of sites similar to ours don't mention such a sight, it's possible these readers are thinking they're seeing something that's not there. If it is, it's a split-second shot at most.

As the family dog flips a boy into a bathtub, it's possible that we see a split-second of nudity (but it happens so fast it's hard to tell).

After Wendy has drawn a picture of a clothed Peter Pan levitating above the bed in which she sleeps, a stern teacher isn't happy with what she thinks that's implying.

Mrs. Darling shows some cleavage in her low-cut party dress.

Peter Pan and Wendy kiss.

SMOKING

We see Hook with dual-lit cigars in one scene.

Smee offers Wendy a cigar (she declines).

TENSE FAMILY SCENES

Wendy isn't happy with her Aunt or parents for telling her she can longer share a bedroom with her brothers.

Peter Pan flies by Wendy's home and sees her mother at vigil by the kids' open bedroom window, looking despondent and waiting for them to return.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT

Whether we're supposed to believe this really happened, whether Wendy made it up, or dreamt it all.

The concept that love conquers all.

Growing up.

Aunt Millicent says that Wendy becoming a novelist wouldn't be a good thing since they're not looked upon highly in society and are hard to marry off.

Mr. Darling tells Wendy that it's time for her to grow up.

Peter Pan tells Wendy that he ran away from home.

Peter Pan tells the kids that if they come with him, they'll never have to worry about adult things again.

We briefly see the stub on Captain Hook's arm (it may be a little unsettling for younger kids who've never seen an amputee).

VIOLENCE

While the following isn't graphically realistic, there's enough material (including Hook murdering his various crewmembers - albeit sometimes somewhat played for laughs) to warrant the category rating.

As Wendy and the family dog chase a school messenger who's to deliver a school note to Mr. Darling, the dog ends up wiping out Wendy, the messenger, Mr. Darling, his big boss and others.

Peter Pan grabs and then struggles with his own shadow that's no longer beholden to following his moves.

Peter Pan bangs his head on the ceiling and throws a book at his shadow (that doesn't harm it).

A jar slams back into Tinker Bell, but she's okay.

Peter Pan falls off a bed and lands hard.

Jealous of Wendy, Tinker Bell grabs her by the hair and bangs her head against a bedpost. Peter Pan then grabs Tinker Bell and throws her across the room (and into a pillow).

John tries to fly by running off his bed, but goes airborne only for a moment before crashing hard to the floor.

The family dog knocks down Mr. Darling and others, but we don't see the impact.

We see two pirates struggling and rolling on the deck of the pirate ship.

After a decrepit looking parrot awakens him, Smee fires his muskets at the bird.

Hook smashes a stopwatch with his hook.

A canon is fired at Peter Pan, Wendy and her brothers who are hanging out in the sky on some clouds. Wendy is blown backwards, while her brothers hang precariously on the edge of the cloud. The canon tries to shoot Peter Pan, but as it swings around, it shoots one of its ship's masts.

We hear the sound of Captain Hook slicing one of his men who then falls away, presumably dead (no blood).

Tinker Bell informs the Lost Boys that Wendy is a bird that needs to be shot from the sky. The boys then fire arrows at her (we see them coming at her), with one hitting her (no impact and from a distance), causing her to fall from the sky. She then appears to be dead on the ground (with an arrow sticking out of her), but Peter Pan removes the arrow (no blood) and sees that an acorn he earlier gave her took the blow and saved her life.

Unhappy with Tinker Bell trying to have Wendy killed, Peter Pan throws her aside and tells her he's no longer her friend.

Two of the Lost Boys slam into each other when they slide into their hidden home.

John and Michael are zipped up into the air when their legs are caught in spring-loaded traps.

Upset at the incompetence around him, Captain Hook shoots one of his own men. We see a small and slightly blood bullet hole in the pirate's shirt before he falls into some water.

Captain Hook tries to shoot Peter Pan, but Wendy warns him just in time. Peter Pan and Captain Hook then get into a swordfight, while Wendy stomps down onto the foot of a pirate fighting her.

Michael's toy teddy bear is decapitated, prompting one brother to hit the assailant in the crotch and the other to knock him into a body of water.

A pirate shoots at Wendy but misses and she throws something that hits him on the head.

A canon fires a net that catches Peter Pan and then sinks him below the surface of some water (where he struggles and cuts the netting with his knife to escape). When he surfaces, however, he comes up at Captain Hook's feet. Hook then hits Peter Pan on the head and holds his hook to Peter Pan's chest.

Peter Pan and Wendy have a swordfight, with Peter Pan holding his sword to her neck.

A scraggly but menacing looking parrot comes at Tinker Bell (who's much smaller than it is), but she ends up knocking and locking it inside a glass case.

Coming up behind a fairy and knowing the repercussion of what he's about to say, Captain Hook states, "There's no such thing as fairies," prompting the fairy to react adversely and loose its color. Captain Hook then flicks it away.

Peter Pan accidentally bangs his head.

Captain Hook lets a drop of fatal poison fall into Peter Pan's "cup" of medicine. Peter Pan is unaware of this and nearly drinks from it. Tinker Bell, however, races there and twice stops him. The second time, however, she ingests some of it and immediately reacts adversely (losing her color and appearing weak).

Captain Hook lifts Wendy (who's still tied to a mast) off the deck by her neck.

Captain Hook shoots a crewmember dead and then does the same to another (no impact and no blood).

A pirate grabs a kid by the throat when the latter yells out.

Captain Hook lifts a bound kid, drops him to the deck and later kicks a kid onto the deck.

A pirate falls a long way into the sea but we don't see the impact.

Hook fires at a shadow, while another pirate shoots at Wendy, but apparently hits another pirate who we see falling.

Peter Pan and Captain Hook get into a swordfight as do the other kids with the other pirates, including one character punching another, two pirates accidentally stabbing each other with their swords (no blood) and one smashing into some rigging.

Captain Hook uses some fairy dust to allow himself to fly and he has a swordfight with Peter Pan in midair. Peter Pan kicks him backwards and then again into a sail where a large pulley nearly hits Captain Hook. Captain Hook then tries to psyche-out Peter Pan and kicks him back through a sail. He then holds a sword to Peter Pan's neck, kicks him back, hits him on the head, holds his head by the hair and throws him to the deck.

We see a little bit of blood on Peter Pan's head following a fight with Captain Hook.

Wendy hits a pirate and Captain Hook then throws her to the deck next to Peter Pan where he plans to kill both of them.

Peter Pan's sudden happiness blows all of the pirates backwards quite a ways.

Captain Hook and Peter Pan do more midair sword fighting.

The monster-sized crocodile gets beneath Captain Hook (who's flying) and repeatedly leaps out of the water at him. Captain Hook tries to remain afloat, but the kids psyche him out and he falls down toward the crocodile that swallows him whole.

Reviewed December 11, 2003 / Posted December 25, 2003

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