Hook
by Steven Spielberg
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DVD details
Actor: Bob Hoskins, Dustin Hoffman, Julia Roberts, Maggie Smith, Robin WilliamsDirector: Steven Spielberg
Brand: WILLIAMS,ROBIN
Producer: Bruce Cohen
Producer: Craig Baumgarten
Producer: Dodi Fayed
Writer: J.M. Barrie
Writer: James V. Hart
Writer: Malia Scotch Marmo
Writer: Nick Castle
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; English (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Dolby, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen, 2.35:1
Running Time: 142 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2000-03-21
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Reviews of Hook
DVD Review: What If Peter Pan Grew Up?
Summary: 4 Stars
Sometimes I find that it is quite refreshing and fun to revisit movies that I enjoyed as a kid, although at times the end result isn't quite how I remembered it. Some of the time when I revisit a movie that I loved so long ago, I discover that I no longer understand what it was that appealed to me back then. For example, the movie "Big" starring Tom Hanks; as a kid I loved this movie, but when I watched it again a couple of years ago on DVD, I couldn't understand what it was about the movie that I had enjoyed so much, other than the scene with the giant piano on the floor. All the humor and fun of the movie escaped me, and maybe it was because I don't have a clear memory of the 80's that I didn't enjoy the movie as much. I grew up in that decade, so I was young when this movie was initially released, therefore certain comedic references don't mean anything to me. One thing is for sure, whenever I do rewatch movies from my past, it's always like a new experience, because since I'm older now, I catch things that I didn't as a child, and the movies make more sense to me and I am able to give them a much more objective look than I did back then. So, when I see a movie that I remember enjoying as a kid and still enjoy it to this day, that is a true treat for me, and one recent example would be the 1991 release of Steven Spielberg's "Hook" starring Robin Williams ("Mrs. Doubtfire") and Dustin Hoffman ("Rain Man").
"Hook" is the what-if story of what would happen if Peter Pan (Robin Williams) chose to leave Neverland behind, and live out his life as a normal person, therefore growing older and even starting a family. However, just because Peter Pan has grown up and forgotten his many adventures in Neverland, one man hasn't forgotten the boy who could fly, and is determined to exact his revenge once and for all, that man is Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman). After Hook kidnaps Pan's children, Tinkerbell (Julia Roberts) arrives to bring Peter back to Neverland and reintroduce him to the life he had left behind, and with the help of the Lost Boys, hopefully jog his memory so that Peter can once more remember how to fly, how to fight, how to crow, and ultimately how to be Peter Pan once again.
As a kid I remembered enjoying "Hook" when it arrived in theaters in 1991, so when I had the chance to watch it again recently on TV, I was curious to see whether the film would still hold the magic and wonder that it had for me back then. And I am happy to say that not only was it still as entertaining as it was back then, but I really enjoyed the story even more than I remembered previously. The reason was because I was able to appreciate what the extremely talented Steven Spielberg ("Jurassic Park") had created by examining the implications of what would happen to Peter if he chose to one day grow up and leave Neverland, and how the character would regain the heroic side of his life that he had forgotten. After I watched the movie again, I found myself wondering why some critics didn't like the film. Was it because they didn't like the 'what if' approach to Peter Pan growing up and forgetting his life in Neverland? Or was it that the somewhat more adult storyline didn't seem to jive with the original kid's story written by J.M. Barrie, at least it didn't in their opinions? Or did they think that for a Robin Williams movie, "Hook" just wasn't funny enough, and focused too much on drama and not enough on Robin Williams' obvious mastery of comedy? Whatever the reasons, I'll never understand why some disliked the movie, but I do know that I still enjoy it no matter what they may say.
I found the prospect of examining what would happen to Peter outside the realm of Neverland over an extended period of time was quite interesting, and was something that Spielberg and company dealt with in a very real, mature manner. Even though it was a kid's movie, the film contained many adult themes such as fear of losing one's family through selfishness, fear of the strange and unknown, and also rediscovering one's true self that had been buried for so long by the hardships faced in the real world. These elements were spread all over the storyline of the movie, but were done so in such a way that it wasn't overtly obvious, and therefore distracting and confusing to children. However, these elements weren't just treated in such a way that adults would find them insulting either, the mixture of this being a kid's movie, but also a drama with adult themes was handled surprisingly well.
The cast was extremely talented, and the two lead actors proved to be the ideal choices for their roles, even though at first glance they didn't necessarily appear to be. I for one wouldn't have thought of Robin Williams as a possibility to portray Peter Pan in any incarnation, but he handles him with just the right blend of drama and humor that made him into an intriguing, ultimately heroic, yet conflicted character. He is a man that wants desperately to save his children, but wants to hide from the possibility that he may have been the savior of Neverland known as Peter Pan, who had abandoned his heroic post so many years before, and that his actions in the past led to his current predicament in the present, and may ultimately change his future forever. Dustin Hoffman was more of an ideal choice to play Captain Hook, and one that frankly made more sense before I had even seen the movie. He gave audiences a Hook that was evil, scheming, and vengeful, but was also lonely and at times suicidal (a surprising aspect to the character, to say the least). To the film's credit, because it was by all accounts intended to be a kid's movie, the topic of suicide as contemplated by Hook, was only briefly touched upon and done so in a humorous way that would not offend or disturb any of the audience. The supporting cast was equally talented, creating characters that were just as memorable as the primary players. Julia Roberts ("Pretty Woman") as Tinkerbell and Bob Hoskins ("Michael") as Smee were both incredibly fun to watch, and their interactions with their respective counterparts (Peter Pan and Captain Hook) were some of the most engaging dramatic, and at times humorous, moments in the film. The cast members that comprised the Lost Boys were surprisingly very good for being so young. They played each of their characters as fun loving kids, who knew how to have a good time, but were also aware that theirs was a life full of danger and that one wrong move could mean their end. And rounding out the cast was Maggie Smith ('Harry Potter' series) as the grown up Wendy, who has devoted her life to providing a solid home for orphans and is the person that reintroduces Peter to his heroic past, and puts him on the path to rediscovery and hopefully the safe return of his children.
"Hook" is an extremely fun and interesting film to watch, as it deals with the prospect of what if Peter Pan actually grew up, and what would happen if his past came back to haunt him in a very real and unique way. It's a movie experience that is fun for the whole family, and is full of high-flying action, special effects that were cutting edge in 1991 (surprisingly they still hold up rather well to this day), and an engaging story that brings out the inner child in all of us.
"Hook" is rated PG for violence.
Description of Hook
Peter Banning is a 40-year-old acquisitions attorney who has forgotten how to let the child within himself take flight. When his children are kidnapped by his old nemesis, Captain Hook, he is forced to fight his fears and make a fantastic return to Neverland to regain not only his children, but the child he once was.and to regain not only his children, but the child he once was.Genre: Feature Film Family
Rating: PG
Release Date: 1-FEB-2005
Media Type: DVD
Steven Spielberg's deeply flawed but sporadically fun and moving update of the Peter Pan legend stars Robin Williams as the grown-up Pan, a corporate-takeover type who must embrace his old identity in order to save his kids from Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman). The stars put on a good show, including Hoffman's read of Hook's hysterical personality, Julia Roberts mini-turn as a tiny Tinker Bell, and Maggie Smith's touching performance as the aged Wendy. The visual contrast between the adult Pan's bustling outside world and the insulated fantasy of Neverland is striking, but Spielberg's ideas about the Lost Boys--politically correct in their ethnic diversity, energetic on skateboards--are contrived and cheapening. On the plus side, the story's theme about adults finding their innocence again through their children is very touching (though some people have found it cloying). If you can look beyond the glaring problems, there's plenty to like here. --Tom Keogh
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