Peter Pan: Back to Neverland – Return to Neverland (2002)

Directed by: Robin Budd, Donovan Cook | 70 minutes | animation, adventure, family, fantasy, musical | English voice cast: Harriet Owen, Blayne Weaver, Corey Burton, Jeff Bennett, Kath Soucie, Andrew McDonough, Roger Rees, Spencer Breslin, Bradley Pierce, Quinn Beswick, Aaron Spann, Dan Castellaneta, Jim Cummings, Rob Paulsen, Clive Revill, Frank Welker , Wally Wingert | Dutch voice cast: Nicoline van Doorn, Willem Rebergen, Paul van Gorcum, Serge-Henri Valcke, Isa Hoes, Veerle Burmeister, Phil Rommy, David Hakkert, Arnout Ulenberg

It’s very hard not to love a movie with Peter Pan in advance. This heartwarming character was conceived by JM Barrie at the beginning of the 20th century and has been a source of inspiration to filmmakers and theater producers ever since. Best known is the Disney classic from 1953, which is Disney’s interpretation of the story ‘Peter and Wendy’, which was published in 1911. In this story, Wendy Darling is invited by Peter Pan to come to Neverland to act as a mother to him and The Lost Boys. Wendy takes her brothers John and Michael along and they have many adventures, culminating in the battles against Captain Hook, Peter’s nemesis. Wendy decides at the end of the story that they are going home again. The book ends with a chapter that appears in few movies or plays. In this chapter, after many years, Peter returns to visit Wendy, only to find out that she is married and has a daughter, Jane. When Wendy tells Peter she can’t fly because she’s forgotten, his heart is broken. But when he meets Jane, he takes her to fly and be his mother.

Disney used this chapter for the sequel to ‘Peter Pan’ and turned it into ‘Return to Neverland’. It is perhaps this fact that makes this sequel more palatable than a number of other Disney sequels. The plot remains fairly faithful to the original and nothing is made up as in ‘Cinderella II’ or ‘Lady and the Tramp II’ for example. The fact that Jane doesn’t believe in Peter in the movie and in the book doesn’t change that much

The beginning of the film is rather bleak, because it takes place during the Second World War. However, it gives a good picture of London during wartime. There is plenty of action to keep you entertained. The message that the film brings is to always believe (albeit in faith, trust and pixie dust), and that is something you want to pass on to your children. Tinkerbell as Peter’s jealous buddy provides exciting and funny moments and Captain Hook is as cunning as you would expect him to be. The ticking crocodile has been replaced by a dangerous orange octopus, which is more funny than scary. Of course, this film does not come close to the original, but children will have a lot of fun with this colorful, magical story. It will not be a punishment for their parents to watch with their offspring, partly because the film is over before you know it with its 72 minutes.