Like many of us , Steven Spielberg ’s Hookwas one of my preferent pic produce up . When it was released in 1991 , I was 11 year onetime , the perfect age to be completely in awe at how Spielberg took one of the most famous tale of all time , J.M Barrie ’s Peter Pan , and commit it a big - budget sequel . Everything about the movie wow me and I continue that idolization long into maturity .
Then came July 14 , 2013 .
That was the twenty-four hour period my now - married woman and I lead to a viewing of Hook that was also a Movie Interruption by comedianDoug Benson . Benson ’s Movie Interruptions fundamentally lie in of him and a few friends Mystery Science Theater - ing a movie . I figured a classic movie I loved , a few comedians , what could go faulty ? Two and a half hours later , I walked out shellshocked at how Benson and his crony eviscerated the picture show so darling in my puerility . Some hints of nostalgia remainedbut Hook , to me , had been destroyed .
Drew Struzan’s poster for Steven Spielberg’s 1991 film Hook.Image: All images TriStar
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Fast - forward to 2020 andHook has come to Netflix . I recognise it was my duty to give it another spin and see who would win : the 11 - twelvemonth - onetime Germain or the 33 - yr - former Germain . The answer ended up being neither , but the two now have a better savvy of each other .
Hook stars Robin Williams as Peter Banning , a attorney who struggles to balance work and category . On a slip to London to visit a close family friend , Peter ’s children are kidnapped and brought to Neverland . Peter is pull to follow and identify he ’s the actual Peter Pan and must fight Captain Hook ( played by Dustin Hoffman ) to get his kids back . It essentially asks and answers the interrogative sentence “ What if Peter Pan grew up ? ”
Ru-fi-oooooooooo.
The first matter that stands out is Spielberg absolutely made Hook for the kid I was when it first came out . Nothing about the picture is remotely subtle . The total opening act is make full with bode akin to snub off someone ’s hand and arrange a hook there . From the hook - shaped window clasps to the pirate ship in a bottle to talks literally using the word “ hook , ” if you watched this film not bonk where it was going , you ’d be silly not to see it coming . That , couple with a eminent level of schmaltzy melodrama , make the film ’s curtain raising necessary , but a little taxing .
After the kid are snatch and the aforementioned family friend Wendy ( play by Maggie Smith , take care exactly the same as she does today ) tell Peter the truth about who he is , the photographic film starts to make a difficult but successful passage . The introduction of Julia Roberts ’ Tinkerbell does the bulk of the study engage a picture fix in a very familiar reality and act it to a topographic point of non-finite possibility . It ’s a immense pivot , one that could have gone awfully wrong , but Spielberg absolutely nails it and ease the viewer from one tone to another .
When Peter gets to Neverland , the immediate takeaway is the Seth . I mean , holy cocksucker . From Hook ’s ship and its bob to the Lost Boys ’ tree and all the DoI , Hook ’s Neverland is a visual banquet that was truly propose for a Best Art Direction Oscar . It ’s a world you want to take the air around in and explore every corner and cranny of . Which , for or right and worse , you kind of get to do .
Hook meets the old Pan.
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While Hook successfully transitions between tones , and the Neverland sequences are gorgeous , the movie gets a bit bloated in its second human action . First , there ’s the main plot of old Peter having to become Pan again ( he has no idea how to fight or wing ) . Then there ’s Hook trying to gaslight Peter ’s kids . Tink is in love with Peter . Rufio is unsafe . It ’s just a destiny . Most of it works because the execution are so on point but there is a signified that some of the plotlines are a shade unneeded . A lot of the scenes are a bit stagnant and drawn out too . So , by the fourth dimension Peter in reality becomes Pan and go after Hook with the Lost Boys , you ’ve all but forgetten the very literal - world stakes that , back in London , a family is searching for kidnapped tiddler .
gratefully , as this is all happening , Hook has so many unforgettable moments peppered in that the faulting are almost completely overshadowed . There ’s Rufio ’s unbelievable debut via wooden windsurfing , the joyous fanciful food engagement , the frenzied baseball game biz , the touching minute of pouch touching Peter ’s boldness . These , and others , are perfect view that are so delightful , the fact they just keep coming and coming makes everything OK .
There you are, Peter.
That said , what you realize watch Hook today is that there are also circumstances of not - so - great moments . For instance , when you finally find out how and why Peter Pan go out Neverland , it ’s more than a little uncomfortable and creepy . ( He kisses Wendy ’s granddaughter , his eventual married woman , while she ’s sound deceased without having ever met her . ) The big finale also is n’t near as sorcerous when you realize Williams learn how to sword fight but Hoffman almost certainly did not , as we see almost the integral Hook vs. Pan brand fight from behind him .
There ’s also the painful realization of Tink as a tragic persona , stuck with a love she ’ll never be capable to act on ; the oddity that the Lost Boys do n’t mourn the destruction of Rufio ; and that we ’re meant to consider Peter “ extend aside ” from his real mom as a babe and then Tink nobble him . There ’s a laundry list of bad option made in the movie and though the termination brings everything together fairly well , there ’s plenty to leave you scratching your head in mental confusion .
All thing considered , though , Hook stay a fun , watchable movie . I ca n’t reckon a dear someone to play Peter than Robin Williams , and watch him go from stern grownup to a playful child is entirely lovely and get you miss him so , so much . John Williams ’ score is also aces . He ’s done a circle of classic scores , of course , but few at once add tears to my eyes like Hook ’s does . It ’s akin to weaponized nostalgia . Rufio and Smee , played by Dante Basco and Bob Hoskins , are also mega - standouts . Though neither is in the film a lot , they create such unforgettable , sorcerous characters that each has stood the examination of time and remain truly iconic .
Spoiler: Peter gets his kids back.
As the credits roll on Hook , I was left with mixed emotions . Yes , many of the flaws pointed out to me by comedian in 2013 remained . This is not a distinctive , airtight Spielberg masterpiece as I ’d once think . And yet , there ’s so much good throughout that I absolutely take the air back my “ Hook is bad ” mindset . Hook is n’t bad . It ’s just flawed . And the good things are legion enough that I conceive it ’ll continue to endure long after it ’s take off Netflix .
https://gizmodo.com/6-obscure-fairy-tales-from-the-brothers-grimm-that-real-1837985363
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