Rediscovering Neverland in Spielberg's "Hook"
Many film enthusiasts recognise the Peter Pan character in Steven Spielberg’s cinematic production of the film Hook, who is basically known as Peter Banning – a workaholic lawyer who lost his childhood spirit. The child is compelled to accompany Peter back to Neverland since Captain Hook takes his children. Tinkerbell and the Lost Boys have to help Peter remember what it is like to be a boy and fight his old enemy. Spielberg permeates the examined movie with lots of tones which are based on childish delight and the nostalgia for childhood, contrasting them with realistic adult world and dreamlike Neverland where a primary importance is given to the wishes of a human mind.
Williams does a brilliant job portraying adult Peter Pan, the man who was once a bold hero, but has now switched to a grumpy pragmatic adult. Dustin Hoffman provides nice performance as Captain Hook, which combines aspects of the showiness and threat. A equally remarkable cast is essayed to depict the characters where Julia Roberts as Tinkerbell how can one can forget her wide charming smile.
Spielberg has been successful in delivering dream sequences and responsibilities of the adulthood which makes this picture very much convincing at many times. It simply shows that Richard’s ability to evoke emotion whether from an elaborate piece or a scene between two characters is an art form.
Listening to John Williams composition for Hook is like taking an orchestral tour deep into the bowels of the film’s emotive core. This serves to complement the story’s plot and mood, as well as to immerse viewers into the world of Neverland through the colorful tunes.
Through the use of visuals, depicted by cinematographer Dean Cundey, the audience is presented with a juxtaposition of the dullness of the real world and the brightness of Neverland. Breathtaking action and fantastic colors of cinematography plunge viewers into a bright tale, which can touch hearts.
Set design is splendid, including pirate ships and abodes of the Lost Boys. This dichotomy with Peter’s cold adult reality adds another layer to the film, the loss and find of childhood wonder.
The effects might be dated for the early nineties but they add to the movies appeal. The practical aspects of magic, and the machinima staging of the sets, provided a solid feel to the otherwise ethereal aspects, making the film classically appealing.
The cutting is good more often than not, if occasionally slightly erratic. While the shifts between fantasy and reality are realistic, some scenes are slightly overemphasised for dramatic effect. While some of the sequences could have been executed more closely to keep the viewers interested through the almost two and a half hours long film Some of the sequences could have been executed more closely to keep the viewers interested through the nearly two and half hour long movie Some sequences can again be really tight so that the people are able to watch it for almost two and half hours The dialogue in Hook is witty yet philosophical. People talk and sometimes joke, which reflects the movie’s subtext of nostalgia and optimism without losing the movie’s premise of adventure.
Despite its powerful story and charismatic main actors, which bring strangeness and magic to ‘Hook,’ the movie can be dull and slow at times, as well as changing the tone suddenly. There is a desire in the film to be both an adult drama and a children’s fantasy while at the same time there are times when it is not entirely smooth. Spielberg’s film is a tribute to the good memories and to the creative minds telling a simple story about heroes never being too old to look at the world with fresh eyes. It is a story that makes a viewer ponder after the movie has finished.
