Pan

Peter Pan is still a spring chicken after 113 years. He's always ready to entertain the next generation with his stories of ticking crocs and pirates and fairies. Director Joe Wright is here to tell the story of Peter's first adventures in their first 3D film, Pan.

Peter (Levi Miller) was left at a Lambeth orphanage by his mother, Mary (Amanda Seyfried). Years later, Peter and the orphans try to survive both the Blitz and nasty Sister Barnabas (Kathy Burke). Peter and his best friend Nibs discover a letter meant for Peter from Mary, one that promises she'll meet him "in this world or another." Before long, Peter and some orphans are snatched by bungee-jumping clown pirates from a flying ship!

The ship takes them to that other world, Neverland. The evil captain Blackbeard (Hugh Jackman) has the orphans mine for Pixum crystals, the source of Pixie Dust. Peter discovers he can fly. That's bad news for Blackbeard, because there's a foretold flying messiah scheduled to beat him. Peter escapes with his new friends James Hook (Garrett Hedlund) and Smee (Adeel Akhtar) into the forest of the "Whatchamacallit tribe" (real name, again, not said). The tribe somewhat welcomes him as the Messiah they've been waiting for.

Pan makes odd choices from the moment they arrive at Neverland. Hugh Jackman makes for a hammy Pirate, but his casting would've been perfect for Hook in a straight version of Barrie's play. The actual Hook is Han Solo with an odd accent and in no ways hinted to be Peter's future nemesis. I'm sure his descent into villainy is saved for a sequel that will never be. The "Whatchamacallit tribe" believe Peter's their Messiah the second they see his flute necklace, but doubt him a few minutes later. The audience might question why a film set during the Blitz has Blackbeard lead his slaves to "Smells Like Teen Spirit," but John Powell's orchestration of that 90's tune was awesome.

The technical aspects keep this film hovering. The work of cinematographers John Mathieson and Seamus McGarvey make this worth seeing on the big screen. The first scenes in Neverland show off Blackbeard's mines and exquisitely demonstrate their size and scope. The environments designed by Aline Bonetto are imaginative creations which use both CGI and practical sets. The costume design by Jacqueline Durran is memorable, even if the "Whatchamacallit tribe's" wardrobe clashes with itself. The weakest effects, though, were the too-obvious CGI skeletal Neverbirds,

Pan's story is all too-familiar if you know anything influenced by Joseph Campbell. You'll know exactly what'll happen even if you don't get closer to the story it's a prequel to. I'm forgiving it for it's storytelling flaws because its visual design isn't a complete eyesore. At worst it's weird.