Top Number: Top 4 Peter Pan Live-Action Adaptations

J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan is loved by all ages, right across the world. The boy who never grows up and has the magical ability to fly has had many adaptations across films, TV and stage plays, touching and inspiring many a generation. The Live-Action adaptations of Peter Pan have followed the pattern of telling either the prequel or the sequel to the story, each one with their own original ideas and unique concepts, but always keeping the core backbone that makes Peter Pan… Well, Peter Pan. But, with each original idea and unique concept, there is that problem of straying too far from what Peter Pan is all about, and that’s what I would like to talk about today.

Number 4:

Pan (2015)

I wasn’t expecting how this film’s storyline played out, if I’m honest. The problem I do have with this film is how it portrays Captain Hook. A friend of Peters to begin with, I didn’t feel as if it connected to the original story in any way. I know that being a prequel, it can have some room to move, but Captain Hook shook be the bad guy, that’s how it has always been. Instead, the bad guy is Captain Blackbeard. I did like the idea behind how Peter came to fly and become friends with Tinkerbell and all the original characters were there, so it does tick some boxes. But what spoils it for me was how Captain Hook was friends with Peter at first. There was a moment when I believed was the turning point of their friendship, but then it turns back around and goes down the same path it was before, and that makes the narrative a little bit too cheesy for my liking.

Sure, the counterargument to this is that because Captain Hook is friends with Peter, when he eventually becomes Peter’s arch enemy, that portrayal will hit him harder and does add some weight behind the original story, but to me it’s just too cheesy.

Overall, all the right characters are there, all the right settings are there, some good original ideas, which does make it a good family-friendly film for all ages, but starts falling to pieces when one of the main elements isn’t there.

Here's the link to the IMDB page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3332064/?ref_=nv_sr_4

Number 3:

Hook (1991)

I like this sequel for how it weaves in a prequel story a well. The story of Hook goes down a completely different path altogether, yet stays faithful to the original story. If anyone said that this story is about Peter Pan all grown up, I would have said that, that ruins everything about what we all love about Peter Pan. The fact that he’s all grown up takes away the magic. We’ve all wished we could be like Peter and never grow up. And that’s what I actually like about the film. The impact of Peter now being an adult and struggling to be one, adds to why we all wished not to grow up in the first place. This film basically tells the story of what we all thought adult life would be like. And then it tells the story of Peter Pan. It stays faithful to the magic, the charm and all the characters, which after all, is what Peter Pan is all about.

Here's the link to the IMDB page:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102057/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Number 2:

Neverland (2011)

Another prequel, but one that adds a bit more science and magic to the story. What makes this better than Pan is how all the characters are in place before the main story kicks in, more importantly, Peter and Hook are enemies. That storyline does develop and thicken as the story goes on, ending with the original story being a direct continuation. There is no more story afterwards because there doesn’t need to be. The story of how Peter became the titular character has been told, and that’s it, which is what I like about this adaptation. I know I’ve said this about each entry in this article, but Neverland does have the magic and the charm, and most certainly all of the necessary characters in the right place. The only reason why I am putting Neverland second after Hook is because it stays true to what the J.M. Barrie wanted to share with us, and that’s rarely seen when it comes to re-imagining the story via a prequel.

Here's the link to the IMDB page:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1720619/?ref_=nv_sr_2

Number 1:

Peter Pan (2003)

The moment I decided to make this list, I knew instantly what was going to be number 1. A live adaptation of the original story itself. Staying faithful to the story as a whole, it keeps everything that we all know and love. Everything that we know and love about Peter Pan’s story is excellently portrayed on the big screen. Sure, there are a few elements within the narrative that a few people disagree with, but it can’t be an adaptation if things were added or taken away a bit, but for me that doesn’t spoil the story in any way. Let’s just say, that if you feel that all the other adaptations in this list has made you turn your back on the story of Peter Pan, then this will easily reignite your faith once more. You will be able to sit back and relax and be lost in the world where you will never grow old once again.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0316396/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Thanks for reading
Antony Hudson
(TonyHadNouns)