Two words come to mind when I think of Pan: enchanting adventure.

From the opening few minutes, there’s no doubt we’re headed into a rollicking escapade. The music, which is lively and playful, sets the tone that persists through the movie, and even Peter’s adventurous attitude sets the stage for the coming journey.

Plot

This was an origins story, of how Peter became the Pan and met the characters we know from the original tale. From that perspective, it was fascinating to see the backstory, a glimpse backstage if you will, to Peter’s humble beginnings as an orphan and James Hook’s life before he turned sour.

As far as storylines go, Pan was neither a sparkling testament to creativity, nor was it ho-hum and run of the mill. It fell somewhere in the middle. Peter’s a young boy with a special destiny to save his people.

Sound familiar? Maybe not the most original, but with enough variation that I didn’t start yawning or internally predicting what would happen with startling accuracy.

The climax was a letdown for me, failing to be as spectacular as I hoped. The visuals were cool, but the event itself felt lacking.

The very end, however, was a different matter. If left a gaping hole begging to be filled by a sequel—a teaser promising to reveal even better parts of the backstory.

As much as Pan is an origins story, it only told half the tale. I want to know what happens next, which I hope was an intentional setup for another movie.

Setting

My imagination is as wild as a river cascading through a forest, and settings that stir my mind to imagine, dream, and explore are better than chocolate. You heard that right. It just got serious.

I was captivated by the setting on display from the moment the pirate ship swooped through London. Every cell in my brain’s imagination compartment was humming as I took in spectacular scene after spectacular scene. Neverland is a place where magic and mystery abound, islands fly, and ships ply the blue waves of the sky.

I won’t say more because I don’t want to ruin it for you, but to me, the setting is one of the most memorable things about Pan. Stunning visuals, mystical scenery, and fairy-tale settings blend into an artful canvas.

Every story needs a backdrop, and Neverland provides a masterpiece of creativity and depth that resonates through every inch of the screen.

Characters

From the outset, we see Peter as a bold, optimistic, adventure-loving fellow who refuses to be defeated by the gloom hanging over the orphanage where he lives. His strong personality is on display throughout the movie, and with his innocent face and English accent, you’d have to be subject to one of the world’s darkest spells to not love him and hope with everything you have he succeeds.

Levi Miller, who played Peter, hit his part so far out of the ballpark I don’t think it’s going to land. Hugh Jackman in the role of Blackbeard did an excellent job as well, striking the perfect balance needed to be an entertaining yet nefarious pirate.

The most fascinating character to me was James Hook. He’s a selfish, lying scoundrel somewhat along the lines of Tony Stark—always looking out for his own skin. His friendship with Peter is unique because…well, you know the story.

Seeing them work together and become friends was in a way painful, colored as it was by the knowledge of their eventual rivalry.

Then there’s Smee. Queer, dorky, entertaining—a role guaranteed to make you laugh.

Conclusion

Pan is a fairy-tale type adventure that despite its seeming simplicity as a child’s story speaks to deeper themes we all face, but in a fun, engaging way. It wasn’t a mind-blowing epic or a story to bring chills to your skin and tears to your eyes, but it was enjoyable and worth seeing.

A side note: if you can, watch it in 3D. It’s worth the extra money.

Have you seen Pan? What did you think? I would love to hear your thoughts.