Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare follows Wendy Darling, as she tries to rescue her brother, Michael, from the evil clutches of Peter Pan.
This is the best directed of the three Poohniverse movies so far. The two Winnie-the-Pooh films had lighting issues where scenes were extremely dark at times, but Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare didn’t have that problem. This also has its own visual flare, with a variety of different shooting techniques that make it a more immersive experience.
Megan Placito does a great job as Wendy. She is basically the anchor of the flick, and is really able to show off her capabilities in the final act. She ends up being a pretty awesome final girl, standing toe-to-toe with Peter Pan. Martin Portlock does a solid job with what he is given as Peter Pan, though the character itself has some peculiarities.
In Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare, Peter Pan may very well be the biggest problem. At times it seems like he is a Pennywise the Clown impersonator, while at others he is a menacing figure. We also never really get to see the full potential of Peter, as he’s basically just a normal guy who is abducting children. This results in the titular character feeling unbalanced, and really almost uninspired as the movie draws to a close.
While Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 began to embrace some of its comedic nature, Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare goes back to square one. It’s a very serious approach, going all-in on the horror genre. At times this works, with over-the-top gore and extremely dark imagery and themes. However, much like Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, this left me wanting more. I’ll continue preaching this, but these movies shouldn’t be so serious.
Despite its flaws, Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare flies by. At only 90 minutes long, it gets straight to the point and never drags. It also features improved practical effects, with bloody kills and the mangled face of Peter Pan.
Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare is all too familiar. It follows the same plotline of countless other average horror movies, which prohibits it from standing out. Sure… the nods and callbacks make it somewhat memorable, but that alone isn’t enough. As long as the worldbuilding continues to stay within this reality, these films will never take off. There’s a lot of potential here, but it ultimately feels like they’re playing it safe. All of the talent seems to be in place, but Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare never shines as bright as it should.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
