Parents' Guide to

Peter Pan & Wendy

Movie PG 2023 103 minutes
Peter Pan & Wendy movie poster: A new adaptation of J.M. Barrie's classic tale shows Peter Pan with a sword and Wendy and Captain Hook behind him.

Common Sense Media Review

Jennifer Green By Jennifer Green , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 10+

Captivating, moody adaptation has peril, some scares.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 10+?

Any Positive Content?

  • teen boy with green shirt and dark hair looks somber with sunset in background
    1:08
  • Peter Pan & Wendy: Peter Pan guides Wendy to Neverland.
  • Peter Pan & Wendy: Captain Hook.
  • Peter Pan & Wendy: Tinker Bell sprinkles fairy dust.
  • Peter Pan & Wendy: The children can fly.
  • Peter Pan & Wendy: Wendy on the pirate ship.

Parent and Kid Reviews

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age 8+

Based on 15 parent reviews

Rocknrolz
Rocknrolz Parent of 5, 7, 9, 11 and 14-year-old
May 1, 2023
age 8+

Complete waste of time.

I had high hopes for this... but this movie was a big fat nothing burger. Mostly monologs, and hardly any plot or storyline. A complete waste of time. Any other peter pan movie is better than this. Captain hook cries because he misses his mommy? Really??
christineaustin100
christineaustin100 Parent of 15-year-old
May 13, 2023
age 9+

I’m 15 not an adult just so you know

Tbh this movie kind of disappointed me. Not because of violence or anything, if you’re worried about violence or sexy stuff, don’t worry you’re good. There’s some intense moments, but if you know the story you know everyone’s fine. So you’re good 😊 But I didn’t like the movie because of how much they changed. Some change was good! Having a black Tinkerbell and an actor with Down syndrome in a leading role were really good choices! The changed for diversity were right on point! However, they unfortunately also changed Wendy. Wendy is supposed to be adventurous and imaginative, but also a loving, motherly and feminine girl who loves dresses and sewing. In changing Wendy to being, yes, independent, but also framing her brothers and refusing to be the Lost Boys mother (WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE ENTIRE PLOT OF THE STORY), you lose who she is. You can be soft and feminine and also be empowering. Also, let’s address the subject of the lost boys, who now include girls. I understand the good intentions behind this decision to include girls, but the original meaning in J.M Barrie’s book is that girls are too smart to fall out of their prams and get lost. Also, they’re literally called the Lost Boys. Their a bunch of rambunctious boys that adopt Wendy as their mother, that’s what the stories supposed to be. The acting is great, although the script and how the characters are written is a little flat. Why is Peter so serious (he’s supposed to be fun, mischievous, arrogant and loveable). It’s an ok movie, but don’t watch this to introduce your kids to Neverland. I recommend the original animated, the 2003 version, or Hook. Or read the book! It’s really good I promise. I’m 15 and I still love it. Bye and hope this helped!!
See all 15 parent reviews

What's the Story?

At the start of PETER PAN & WENDY, Wendy (Ever Anderson) is about to be sent off to boarding school in the morning and confesses to her mother (Molly Parker) that she doesn't want to leave. That night, Tinker Bell (Yara Shahidi) and Peter Pan (Alexander Molony) come to her room. She and her brothers (Joshua Pickering and Jacobi Jupe) follow them through the clouds to Neverland. There, they encounter a group of children who live with Peter Pan, their Cree-speaking friend Tiger Lily (Alyssa Wapanatahk), and, of course, Peter's nemesis, Captain Hook (Jude Law), who is ready to fight Peter to the death -- or order his sidekick Smee (Jim Gaffigan) to do his bidding. Wendy realizes she might be ready to grow up after all.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (15 ):
Kids say (11 ):

There's no shortage of Peter Pan iterations in the world, but this moving film offers a deeper and more female-oriented take than others. The Disney brand will bring broad audiences to Peter Pan & Wendy, but they might be surprised by the broody aesthetic and contemplative messages of Lowery's adaptation, not to mention its alternate ending. Like Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, the look and narrative focus of this effort reflects the artistic vision of its director, coupled with a vivid musical score. You could watch the film only for Barrie's classic tale and the jousting between Peter Pan and Captain Hook, but even with rousing special effects -- for example, turning a boat upside down in the air -- the fight scenes are the least original part of this film. They might have benefited from a bit more humor, like the note struck in a late scene where a pirate yawns, "Wake me up when one of them kills the other ... again."

Instead, the film's title could well have been Wendy & Peter Pan. Or even Wendy, Tinker Bell, Tiger Lily & Peter Pan. Anderson, in particular, is dazzling as the story's essential character who discovers her own strength over the course of the film. In this magical world, the girls have the power and represent key character traits needed to ultimately save the boys in their lives. Neverland belongs to the matriarchs of the native Cree-speaking community. The boys and men, meanwhile, suffer from premature detachment from their mothers; this Peter Pan is not just about growing up, it's about growing up right. It's not about a childhood adventure, it's about facing the adventure of life head-on (retaining the magic of childhood, if possible). The tale ends on a melancholy note of resignation, including a condensed montage where Wendy envisions the arc of her whole life. Characters either can't go back or must go forward.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how this version of Peter Pan & Wendy differs from others they've watched or from the original story. What did you or didn't you like in these changes?

  • Do you think the female characters are shown to be stronger than the males in this film? If so, where do you see this?

  • Which of the many brave characters in this film demonstrates the most courage, and why? Why is courage such an important character strength?

Movie Details

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