'Pan' A Review

Pan is a fantasy movie, a reimagining/prequel of the classic Peter Pan tale. Peter(Levi Miller) is abandoned by his mother at an orphanage in London, when he is twelve during a WWII bombing he is abducted by sky-pirates and taken to Neverland. Under the rule of Blackbeard(Hugh Jackman) Peter and many others slave away in the fairy dust mines, he meets Hook(Garrett Hadlund) and Smee(Adeel Akhtar) and three escape together. They connect with the natives and eventually do battle with Blackbeard and his pirates.

There are some glaring problems with Pan first and foremost the lead Miller who is exceptionally out of his depth compounded by his choice to play the role rather meekly and realistically with none of the bravado of the Peter Pan we know and none of the energy or flavor of the other characters on screen. The second major problem is an incredibly convoluted and over-stuffed plot. We have an inordinate amount of ground to cover and large sections are rushed. We frequently have only landed in one intricate and interesting place in Neverland before we are ushered to the next.

The production design is wonderfully over the top, a weird mish-mash and amalgamation of other stories and different genres. It doesn't quite work but it is cool to look at and creates a singular, if not necessarily harmonious, world.  Aside from Miller the other actors put in fun heightened performances. Jackman especially holds nothing back and is deliciously Cage-ian.

Not entirely successful or cogent but still entertaining.

Rent It.