Hook (PG, 1991)

I watched this movie with my 8 year old son and 9 year old daughter; we all enjoyed it. Very nice special effects and visual appeal: snowy London, Neverland sunsets, etc. This would make the movie particularly enjoyable on a large-screen TV. The story stays faithful to the themes of the original Peter Pan, which means that if your children know and like that story they will particularly enjoy this one. No greater violence and scariness than in the original. Hook is menacing but doesn't do a lot of significant damage so any children who know the story but can't handle seeing characters really get hurt will be ok. I took minor objection to 5 things: 1. a pirate who has betrayed Hook is put in the "boo box" - a cramped barrel where small yucky creatures (spiders? snakes?) are fed through a window into the box with him in order to scare him. If you're sensitive, this feels like a nasty torture scene; however, it lasts for only a few seconds and the worst part is the part where the pirate is forced into the box. 2. at one point Tinkerbell turns herself human-sized, and she is wearing an off-the-shoulder gown; she kisses the adult Peter Pan romantically and somewhat breathlessly, and reveals that she loves him. He rejects her because he loves his wife and kids. The scene is brief and not too explicit, but if you feel as I do that romantic scenes have no place in children's movies, then it was an unnecessary disappointment. Really, shouldn't Tinkerbell stay a fairy? Why do romance and unrequited love have to be introduced into this story? 3. In one scene Hook slashes the adult Pan's arm with his hook; you don't see blood but you do see the slash; again, it's quick; 4. Hook stabs and kills one of the main Lost Boys - you don't see blood but the death is sad; 5. one of the lost boys is overweight and this is sort of exploited - he rolls up into a ball and knocks pirates over; 6. the movie continues upon and expands the themes of sad/painful loss from the original - the lost boys wish they had a mother, the dying lost boy reveals his wish that he had had a father, Tinkerbell will never see Pan again, etc. Overall, however, I recommend the movie as fun and visually appealing especially for kids who like the original.