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Author Topic: Pan (2015) Stu Jamieson Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 524 From: Buccan, Qld, Australia Registered: Jan 2008 posted 09-26-2015 06:43 PM                     We've had the origin story for Maleficent. We've had the origin story for the wicked witch of the west. Now it seems some industrious Hollywoodite has deemed that Peter Pan is due his origin story. The set up is interesting enough: young orphan, Peter, is abducted to Neverland where he befriends Tiger Lilly, Tinkerbell and a young Hook and together they save Neverland from Blackbeard the pirate. The narrator is unequivocal about the central theme being best friends becoming enemies - a clear reference to the Peter/Hook relationship. The problem is that by films end Peter and (now Captain) Hook are still friends! So the story, as a whole, feels unresolved. Now, perhaps the intention here is to follow up with a sequel or (surprise!) a trilogy but the plot simply isn't complicated enough to warrant it - we're not talking Lord of the Rings here - and the story arc between these two characters could easily have been wrapped up within this sub two hour movie. And given the unspectacular patronage to this film, it's questionable whether a sequel would even be made. The film's other problem is it's blasé presentation. It never ceases to amaze how Hollywood can make so little for so much money. So much of the budget seems spent on costuming, sets and set pieces, it's as if the purpose of the expenditure is to distract the audience from the fact that there's really not much going on. Colour saturation, bombast with occasional inexplicable lapses into song suggest a half-hearted attempt to ape Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge. The film's excesses are replete with bungy jumping pirates and curiously Caucasian "native American" acrobats - although strangely the Piccaninny elder is Aboriginal and their warrior is Asian. I guess they got some ethnicities in there, just not the right ones! The result is a trippy cirque du soleil type experience that is kind of fun but ultimately vacuous and unsatisfying. 5 out of 10  |  IP: Logged Matt Russell Expert Film Handler Posts: 142 From: Aurora, USA Registered: Aug 2015 posted 09-26-2015 10:19 PM                    Spoilers, Stu? Doesn't come out in the US for two more weeks.  |  IP: Logged Jonathan Goeldner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1360 From: Washington, District of Columbia Registered: Jun 2008 posted 10-12-2015 10:37 PM                     visually and aurally this is an amazing film ... but script wise, it's a trainwreck of a film. Exemplory 3D and thunderous 7.1 mix, but sadly it can't save the flawed aspects of the movie.  |  IP: Logged

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