Hook

Rating:
Summary: Spielberg and Colombia Pictures do not mix...
Review: HOOK, a very flawed 1991 fantasy film based on the Peter Pan story was doomed from the start. It had Robin Williams in it (who has made only two good movies in his whole career). It had Dustin Hoffman, who is a great actor, but is so wrong for this part. And then we have Julia Roberts who is about as believabel as Tinkerbell, in much the same way that Matt Broderick was miscast in Godzilla. It was a bad movie that was neither a hit with critics or the public, and led to Colombia Pictures being taken over by Sony, which has not been any great improvement.

Rating:
Summary: Grownup fun with a serious side...
Review: I love grownup versions of classic children's stories, such as "Ever After" (a grownup Cinderella) and this movie, "Hook", a very grown-up Peter Pan. "Hook" takes a sobering look at the downside of being "grownup"- our propensity for taking ourselves and our responsibilities far too seriously, forgetting how to have fun along the way, and how it harms our relationships with our families, especially our children. Robin Williams as the grown-up Peter shows what a truly good actor he is in this movie, and that his comic genius is but one of his talents. Dustin Hoffman, always a show-stealer, does not disappoint. His "Hook" is at once funny and a very scary guy, at one point even killing the leader of the Lost Boys - this is definitely not your kids' Peter Pan. The supporting cast do an excellent job as well.

The visuals are imaginative and engaging, such as the child-pleasing bright crayon-colored foods at their banquets, and serve to remind us of how life is different through the eyes of a child - Bright green ketchup? Cool! - and what fun it was to "think outside the box" before it was educated and conformed out of us. Hook himself remembers this, and uses this knowledge to steal Peter's disillusioned son away from him, an act of revenge that forces Peter to re-learn the art of having fun in order to rescue him from the despicable Hook. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie.

On a more serious note, "Hook" is a cautionary tale to which many of us "grownups" need to pay close attention, living in a society as we do that places (or should I say "misplaces") so much emphysis on providing material goods - the newest, the biggest, the brightest, the best of everything - that we are in real danger of neglecting the one and only thing our kids really need - our time - time for guidance, time for teaching, time for discipline, and time for just plain fun. Hook is very real, and he manifests himself in terrifying ways - drugs, alcohol, sex, and the human predators that offer these to our children on a daily basis. I am very glad I bought this video, because I can take it out and watch it any time life gets too serious and I need a reminder of what is really important.

Rating:
Summary: Second star to the right and straight on until morning
Review: Hook is a great movie for eveyone of all ages. How Peter Pan grew up, and Forgets every bit of who he was. Only when his children are kidnapped by his old foe Captain James Hook, does he finally realize who his really is. At first when he gets to Never-Never Land, he thinks it is all a dream, and that he could never have been Peter Pan, but after some time there,and a little help from the Lost Boys, does he realize the he is the great Peter Pan. After defeating Hook for the last time, and putting a new lost boy as the leader does he finally get to go back home, where he finally starts to see the world through opened eyes.

Rating:
Summary: Very cute and entertaining.
Review: People can't seem to agree on how this movie is rated. Unfortunately, it might be a "love it or hate it" thing, in which case reviews are meaningless. I will go ahead and say that I LOVED this movie as a child (well, preteen), and all of my friends did too. I actually liked the Lost Boys, especially Rufio, whose whole character I found very interesting. I didn't like the skateboard bits, but if I were a little boy, I might.I absolutely LOVED Hoffman as Hook - he was funny and sinister all at the same time ("I'm going to do it, and don't try to stop me. Smee, don't you dare try to stop me, Smee, try to stop me. Smee! Try to stop me, I'm commiting suicide here!"). Robing Williams is excellent as always, and Pan's children do a fantastic job. I really empathized with the little girl when I was little. There are a few flaws (I didn't like Julia Roberts as Tinkerbell, actually), but overall this movie is definitely worth a rent. Good for the young and the young-at-heart (sorry for the corny line!), I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: What "Lack of Magic"?
Review: What if Peter Pan really did grow up? I beleive Mr. Speilburg got it right with this one. His capability is transmogrifying book to film is masterful. Although there are a few minute mistakes, such as Hook's hook suppossedly on the right rather than the left, this film invokes the soul of J.M. Barrie's magical story.

Robin Williams (Good Morning Vietnam) is a perfect choice for Peter Pan, now grown up and known as Peter Banning. Peter, whose past as a free-sprited and ageless Pan, has long forgotten Neverland. Instead his life is about stocks, cell-phones, and an ironic fear of heights. He comes home one night to find that both of his children, Jack and Maggie, have been kidnapped by none other than Captain Hook himself. Granny Wendy (Maggie Smith; Harry Potter I-II)tries hard to explain to him that only he can save his children, for he is really the great Peter Pan.

Dustin Hoffman's (Tootsie) portrayal as Captain James Hooks is remarkable. He emobodies the charecter with wonderful acting skill, right down to Hook's grace, manners, and a distorted belief of "good form". All of his pirate crew, including the lovable Mr. Smee (Bob Hoskins; Who Framed Roger Rabbit)put on a wonderful show.

I hope you enjoy following along with Peter makes as he makes his final trip to Neverland. And with the aid of Tinker Bell (Julia Roberts; Erin Brockavitch) and the Lost Boys, he must remember how to fight, how to crow, and most importantly how to fly, in order to save his own two children from the cunning and evil grasps of Capt. Jas. Hook.

Rating:
Summary: To little here for the kids.
Review: I have watched this one a couple times. The boring parts are just to frequent and long. Like the poorly done Popeye, we just wait to long for the cool stuff. then when we get to the cool fight at the end, they kill off the Lost boy that my kids liked the best!

Unfortuneately I bought it on VHS before I saw it. What saves the movie is that one can FF thru all the poor sections of the movie. Also, why make a movie for kids and kill of the second most interesting good guy?!

Rating:
Summary: lacks magic
Review: My son is obsessed with the Disney cartoon of Peter Pan, so it was natural that he would want to see this. One of my joys with my kids is revisiting things that I loved at their age as well as discovering new things. Unfortunately, though the incomparable Spielberg was involved, this film is wholly lacking in that indefinable magic that makes for greatness. I found the whole thing flat, the acting poor to fair even with Robin Williams, and the attempt to add on to an wholly contained work of art a dimsal failure. You shouldn't try to make a knockoff of something that stands perfectly on its own. This is the worst that I ever saw in a Spielberg film. The only things going for it are special effects and rollicking violence.

Not recommended.

Rating:
Summary: A Quintessential Classic
Review: Hook, of the greatest action/adventure movie of all time. With a Star cast including: Dustin Hoffman (Captain James Hook), Robin Williams (Peter Banning), and Julia Roberts (Tink). A workaholic, Peter Banning has no time for his family. The family takes a trip to London to visit Granny Wendy because she is to receive an award. While at the award ceremony, Peter's children are captured. A note is left by the kidnapper signed, Captain James Hook. Tink takes Peter to Neverland, where he is to fight the dark and sinister Hook for his children. Peter has to learn to find his happy thought and become the old Pan in three days. And so the Great War between good and evil begins. Hook receives the five stars of excellence for being one of the greatest films of that year.
The musical score for Hook is an essential part in this mind blowing movie. John Williams makes this score a quintessential example of how to capture emotion. The piece was actually intended on being a musical for Peter Pan, before Stephen Spielberg wanted the score for his movie. The music does exactly what every musical does; it creates music that becomes very present in one's memory. Most musicians would categorize this score as more pop than the average score. John Williams actually started writing the score before he even saw the completed version of the film. John basically had to go off of a script to write the music. John had to create his own Neverland in his head to create the right emotion he wanted to present to the audience. One section of the score is called, 'Presenting the Hook.' The scene starts out with Smee carrying Captain Hook's hook all over the ship. The pirates start chanting, 'Hook, Hook, Hook,' as they follow Smee. Mr. Williams creates perfect pirate music. It is filled with: horns, violins, tambourines, flutes, and drums. The sound creates the image of a pirate ship in one's mind. The battle sequence is another great section of work called, 'The Ultimate War.' There are great sums of percussion, such as cymbals and cowbells. These percussion sounds, especially the cowbell, paints a picture of the preparation of war. Then one hears the upbeat sounds and at that moment, Peter has transformed into a hero. Eerie and evil sounds are played into the audiences ears. This sound is the presents of Hook. As the section continues the tempo increases drastically. The score is one of the top elements in making this movie superior to other movies.
Captain James Hook, played by Dustin Hoffman, gives this movie what it needs to become a classic. Captain Hook is the leader of the scum of Neverland (also known as pirates). Hook has grown tired of killing Indians and lost boys. The climatic adventure in his life would be to kill Peter Pan, his arch nemesis. Dustin Hoffman did a magnificent job creating this character. One of the most valuable elements of his character was his appearance and voice. The costume designer designed his costume exactly like it is in the Walt Disney version of Peter Pan. From the wig to the mustache, Dustin fits the part. Dustin's voice is the ideal voice of a pirate. His voice gave one a feeling as if one had left Great Britain and had been captured by pirates. Dustin Hoffman's character had to be nothing but fun to act.
This movie is a perfect example of a monomyth. Peter's call to action is that his children have been captured and he has to go and save them. Tink takes Peter from the house in London and he crosses the threshold into Neverland. He leaves the social realm and goes forth into the supernatural realm. Peter has to find his happy thought, so that he can fly. His gift is hidden within himself. The trials he faces are the Ultimate War between the lost boys and the pirates. His ultimate trial is fighting Captain James Hook. He defeats his opponent and takes his children home. When he leaves Neverland to go back to London, he emerges back into the social realm. Peter brings back what he has learned from his experiences. Not the gift of flying, but the gift of loving his family more and living life to the fullest.
The overall score for this movie is Five Stars out of Five Stars. The score is based on the musical score, characters, and plot. One essential element is the score written by John Williams. The score brought to story to life. Another element evaluated was Dustin Hoffman's role of Captain James Hook. The last element taken into consideration was the how the plot was planned. The plot used the journey of a monomyth. The journey of the monomyth has been used in many other great films, such as Star Wars. This movie has become a masterpiece that other directors should model after .Hook is truly magnificent

Rating:
Summary: Heartwarming film!
Review: I watched this movie when I was really young and I loved it then. I watched it again today and I love it still!

Peter Pan, having been put up for adoption in the "real world" by Wendy and grown up, is now Peter Panny, a lawyer who is too busy to appreciate his wife and two children, Jack and Maggie. Peter goes to his daughter's play, but is on his cellphone the entire time. He compeltely misses Jack's baseball game, and when Jack is bitter about it and acting childish, Peter tells him to 'grow up.'

Then Captain Hook kidnaps Peter's children as revenge, Tink whisks Peter off to Never Never land - where he firmly believes he's hallucinating. He remembers nothing of being Peter Pan, the lost boys, Captain Hook, or anything. In order to save his children, he must find the child within himself. And the only way to accomplish that is by having the Lost Boys and Tink help him. He must learn to stop being the selfish lawyer who is too busy for everybody and start being a person who appreciates life and sees everything as an adventure. Meanwhile, Jack is taking the opposite route and giving up his childhood while being held captive.
The movie is a wonderful tale, and it brings a new life to the Peter Pan story. The visuals are outstanding and the movie does an awesome job at creating a real, live Never Never Land where there are mermaids, paint fights, pirates, and the tickety tock of the crock.

The acting is superb, and I don't think they could've picked anybody better to play Peter Pan and Captain Hook than Robin Williams and Hoffman.

It's an all around great film for the whole family. It gives even the most cynical of adults the hope that maybe we can all find the child within us and learn to live that way.

Rating:
Summary: Good for terrifying children
Review: Spielberg managed to do something I would not have thought possible- take a story that has charmed children for decades, and make it into something that will give them nightmares.

The pacing is off, the perfomrances are very mixed, and the story is too boring for adults and far too terrifying for children. One for the bin.