Review: Peter Pan & Wendy

David Lowery (The Green Knight and Pete's Dragon) is very good at reimagining and remaking classic Disney films.

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Just like he did with Pete’s Dragon (2016), Lowery’s artistry is overflowing in this picture. Peter Pan & Wendy is fun, charming, and delightful. The diverse cast shines along with a great Jude Law as Captain Hook. Though Lowery's newest feature should have received a theatrical release, it is still worth your time to stream on Disney+. The story of Peter Pan & Wendy is nothing revolutionary or game-changing; it is still very much a by-the-books adaptation of the boy who never grew up. However, what I admired in this newest version of Pan was a more mature sense and structure to our characters and their stories. Lowery's picture is very much grounded in realism and wonder, while the scenery and visuals will sweep you off of your feet. Plus, Lowery approached this film through a more modern lens and avoided past racial stereotypes that plagued the 1953 animated film.

Alyssa Wapanatâhk as Tiger Lily and Alexander Molony as Peter Pan

I loved seeing that Peter Pan and Tinker Bell were both played by actors of color (Alexander Molony and Yara Shahidi). On top of the diverse cast of actors, I loved seeing Lost Girls (Diana Tsoy, Florence Bensberg, Kelsey Yates, and Skyler Yates) as a part of the Lost Boys group and that one of the Lost Boys has Down's Syndrome (actor Noah Matthews Matofsky). This has made Matofsky the first actor with Down's Syndrome to land a major role in a Disney film. I loved that they made Tiger Lily a three-dimensional character and not a caricature like in past productions. Cree actress Alyssa Wapanatâhk (Bigstone Cree Nation) brought her own indigeneity to the role of Tiger Lily. Wapanatâhk also spoke her own native language during the film, and all of the background actors in her village were of Indigenous talent, including Wapanatâhk's stunt doubles.

One can see the authenticity of Tiger Lily and her tribe throughout this picture. Sadly, there has been a bigoted audience campaign of review bombers for this film, flooding movie sites like IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes. These negative reviewers who have flooded these sites with their racist reviews should be ignored and not hinder you from watching this movie. Not liking a movie is okay, but attacking it because the cast is more diverse is not okay. Looking past this, I hope you find the same sense of wonder and magic as I did while watching it. I am always excited to see what Lowery does next with his career. Lowery's craftsmanship with fantasy and adventure continues to grow and expand. Lastly, both the score (composer Daniel Hart) and the cinematography (Bojan Bazelli) helped excel the picture as a whole. In the end, Peter Pan & Wendy is a film that the whole family can and will enjoy. For now, sit back and watch the magic unfold with the boy who never grew up. 

Yara Shahidi as Tinker Bell

Peter Pan & Wendy is rated PG For Peril | Violence | Thematic Elements

Directed by David Lowery

Now Streaming on Disney+

Starring Jude Law, Alexander Molony, Ever Anderson, Yara Shahidi, Alyssa Wapanatâhk, Joshua Pickering, Jacobi Jupe, Molly Parker, Alan Tudyk, and Jim Gaffigan as Mr. Smee.