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Peter Pan (2003)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 7, age appropriate for kids over 9; suggested age 9.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Live-action version keeps its thrill and charm.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 9 and Up

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Not an issue.
  • Violence:

    A lot of fantasy violence, including swordfights, guns, and hitting below the belt. Pirates are killed. There is a brief graphic image of Captain Hook's amputated arm as he puts on one of his hooks.
  • Sex:

    We see boys' bare behinds. There are a couple of sweet kisses and some subtle references to puberty.
  • Language:

    Not an issue.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Characters drink and smoke and a pirate offers liquor and cigars to a child.

What Parents Need to Know

This review of Peter Pan (2003) was written by Nell Minow

Parents need to know that this movie is OK for early tweens who aren't frightened by a brief but graphic image of Captain Hook's amputated arm as he puts on one of his hooks. The movie has a lot of fantasy violence, including swordfights, guns, and hitting below the belt. Pirates are killed. We see boys' bare behinds. There are a couple of sweet kisses and some subtle references to puberty. Characters drink and smoke and a pirate offers liquor and cigars to a child.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about why someone might not want to grow up. What do grown-ups do to keep the best part of childhood inside themselves? Is that what Barrie was doing in writing this story?
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More on Peter Pan (2003)

What’s the Story?

This story begins with Peter Pan, the boy who would not grow up, leaving Neverland on occasion so he can listen to the stories that Wendy tells her brothers, Michael and John,. One night, Peter's shadow is caught in the window. When he comes back to get it, Wendy sews it on, and Peter invites them back to Neverland. There they meet up with the Lost Boys, and battle Captain Hook (Jason Isaacs). This film version focuses on the relationship between Peter and Wendy. In Neverland, Peter tells Wendy she will never have to grow up but then makes her into the mother of the Lost Boys. She assures him (and herself) that they are only playing, but she feels the pull of the adult world. She even tells Peter that Captain Hook is "a man of feeling" while he is just a boy. Feelings are taken very seriously in this film. Fairies like Tinkerbell can have only one feeling at a time. Peter cannot answer when Wendy asks him what his feelings are. And Hook has a deadly poison made up of "a mixture of malice, jealous, and disappointment."

Is It Any Good?

Director/screenwriter P.J. Hogan's sumptuously beautiful re-telling of the classic story maintains its timeless charm. The production design is simply gorgeous, with exquisite period detail. Even state-of-the-art special effects like flying and computer graphics are consistently conceived and gratifyingly believable. The jarring notes are Peter's (unforgivably) American accent and some anachronistic-sounding music. Ludivine Sagnier does her best as Tinkerbell, but the fairy is probably best portrayed as a spot of light.

Some Pan lovers will object to some gentle tweaking of the story. But it's not so much to be politically correct or bring it up to date as it is to remove any distractions from what in today's view would be seen as sexism.

Movie Details

Studio: Universal Pictures, Director: P.J. Hogan
Run time: 100 minutes
Theatrical release: 12/25/2003, DVD release: 05/04/2004
MPAA Rating: PG for adventure action sequences and peril

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in Vermont
    I rate this title on for age 9 and give it 5.0

    i loved it :P

    I really loved this movie! forever my mom has been trying to get me to watch this movie and i've always said no but after reading the peter and the star catchers books i am now rlly into peter pan! just normal actiony vilonce but if your like me and gets freaked out by the crocodile he pops in a cuple times at lest he warns you with the tick tock :)

  2. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 5.0

    omg Peter Pan! I love him and this movie. I hate the ending though. "Oh the cleverness of me!"

  3. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 5.0

    My family and I love this movie. The production is gorgeous and really captures the feel of the book. It looks like a Victorian pop-up book come to life. Since it is true to the source material it is a little darker, so you have to know your child. My 6-year old LOVES this movie and has been watching it for a few years. It is one of a handful of films she asks to watch over and over. I don't think it is overly sexualized - Wendy is on the verge of adolescence. Her unsure relationship with Peter represents that struggle between growing up and entering into romantic relationships and remaining a child who likes to play dress up. I thought the film beautifully captured this "transitional" time in a child's life. I can't recommend this film enough.

  4. I rate this title on for age 6 and give it 1.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    I rate this title on for age 9 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    great family film!!

    I realy like this film, it captures love and romance however i did highlight the S** symbol because my friend believed that at the end scene it said peter was "incomplete" and she misinturpreted it.

  6. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 3.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    oiuygtyu89ij

  7. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    BEST MOVIE EVER!

    This movie is a timeless classic. In 70 years, children will still be forcing their parents to sit down and watch it, and the parents will willingly comply. There's a little action and a little romance, with none of the cheesiness that is sometimes associated with the book and Disney movie (both also classics, but for a slightly younger age group) The book is the kind of book that you love when you are little, dislike as a teenager, and whose charm comes back as you grow up. This movie, however, keeps the original spirit of the book but adds a lot more depth and spirit to the characters, giving it teen appeal. The cinematography is gorgeous as well. I got this movie off of Netflix and promptly watched it three times in a row. It's amazing. Watch it.

  8. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Maryland
    I rate this title on for age 9 and give it 4.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    this was a great fantasy adventure. There was a little bit of violence: (Spoilers) One of the main characters is murdered at the end. A flashback shows Kira's mother get killed. There is an intence feeling in the movie for youngsters. Crab monsters try to harm the main characters, and the Skeksis duel is scary for some. But the ending is happy. I reccommend this film highly.

  9. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in Iowa
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 4.0

  10. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title pause for age 9 and give it 2.0

    better for older kids

    lots of tension & kissing by pre-teens.

  11. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title on for age 9 and give it 4.0

    Really Good...

    This movie was very enjoyable, and I really enjoyed it. It's completely different from the Disney version, but much more accurate to the book. CAUTION: Capt. Hook says d-mnation, and you see two young boys' backsides hanging at the top of the screen. Also, there are two, very drawn-out kisses. Some sword fights, and so on.

  12. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Oregon
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 4.0

    Great!

    This was a really fantastic film. I enjoyed seeing this movie with real people in it. I would recommend it to an 8+ age group because it has some kisses and violence, but otherwise really clean.

  13. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Tennessee
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 4.0

  14. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 4.0

    A great remake, with a real boy to play Peter Pan!

    Unlike other remakes of Peter Pan, this Peter Pan was really played by boy. The actors in Peter Pan were very good. The movie was so magical and one of those classic tales with new surprises. It was a very good movie and I would highly recommend it.

  15. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 4.0

    Sexualized version of old favorite

    I liked this movie a lot but was not happy with the fact that my 5 year old was seeing it with me. This Peter Pan seemed more sexualized than the Disney version. In Disney, Pan wants Wendy to be his and the lost boys' mother and he seems oblivious to Wendy's romantic feelings for him. Here, he wants Wendy to be a mother and he a father to the lost boys. There are several very sexually-charged looks exchanged and a climactic kiss. Hook even acts a little suggestively to Wendy a few times (and the same actor plays her father). Like I said, I really liked it but I wish my son had been 7 or 8, at least. As for the violence, Hook shoots or guts several pirates and there is blood--I didn't consider it fantasy violence.

  16. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Utah
    I rate this title pause for age 8 and give it 3.0

    Fanciful, but a little dark

    I think I would have enjoyed this movie if my children had been older. I took a toddler and was sorry I did. This rendition is the closest to the original book I've found, and it is beautifully presented (I was really impressed with the caliber of the performances in the young actors)--but that also means it is darker than the Disneyfied version. The mermaids are scary, Hook is definitely disturbed, the crocodile is frightening, the castle is spooky--it was too much for my little one.

    I would put this film in the same camp as the Harry Potter films--fun and magical, but eerie and scary in parts--really meant for kids 8-11 who can separate magic from reality and not worry that a crocodile is going to swallow them up at any moment once they leave the theater.

  17. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Oklahoma
    I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it 3.0

  18. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it 2.0

    i like the original better

    TOO MUCH KISSING STUFF!

  19. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 4.0

    Wonderful rendition

    I liked this movie, and just about the only negative thing was the "tension" between Wendy and Peter Pan. They're only 12 or 13 for crying out loud. I don't think that this was in Barry's book. But other than that, it was pretty good. Worth watching.

  20. I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 5.0

    it was good!

    I have NO recollection of seeing bare behinds in this movie...but anyways, it was wonderful! One of my favorites...so beautifully done its magical! One thing that is SO funny though...is there is a pirate who is wearing SUNGLASSES. LOL!!! I thought that was hilarious! I wonder who was in charge of costumes sheesh...Capt. Hook was great, as was Peter. I wouldn't recommend it for younger kids though as it can get kind of scary and has a mature theme.

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