Pan is family-friendly action that defies expectations

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Movie: Pan

Rating: PG

Running time: 1 hour, 51 minutes

Moviegoers: Dad 46, Jake, 6

Family movie faves: Inside Out, Finding Nemo and Shaun the Sheep.

Fave movies for grown-ups: Ong-Bak, Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Fury Road. (These are my faves. My wife has no desire to see them, and our children will have to wait for years until they’re old enough to enjoy them. )

Review of Pan

What’s the story: Pan is the origin story of Peter Pan. It takes place in WWII Great Britain in the orphanage where Peter lives. However, at night the children are being snatched up by pirates and taken to Neverland. Once there the children are forced to mine for pixie dust, which is hidden in the rocks.

Black Beard rules Neverland but is under attack from a group of bandits in the woods.Through a series of events Peter realizes that he can fly and escapes from the pirates with Hook where they find the bandits.  It’s here that Peter discovers his true identity, has adventures beyond his wildest imagination and meets the characters that are part of his life forever.

What parents may like about this movie: I’m a dad who has seen every incarnation of Peter Pan, all but one of them in theaters. And I think parents will like Pan because it is not predictable. This is even more of an accomplishment given that most parents know the rough storyline of Peter Pan. The boy who can fly, enemy of Captain Hook, friend of Tinker Bell and inspiration to adults trying to find their inner child everywhere. Pan is not a perfect film, but it is so much better than you’ve heard and one that is constantly entertaining, even for adults, on a ridiculously large scale. There are details in every shot that make it a treat to watch. Granted, Hugh Jackman’s hair was distracting at first, but once you understand why it’s there and see the man behind the mirror it’s all forgiven.

What kids will like: Kids 7 and up will like Pan because it’s 75% kid-centered action. Peter is running around the jungle, sliding down a cable car, flying in a pirate ship, in a sword fight or meeting mermaids. Pan sets up the story in various points of the film using that remaining 25% that’s spread out evenly. Parts of that include the orphanage, Black Beard’s backstory and some of the story involving Peter’s mother.

Concerns: There are a couple bad slang words in British English, but most audiences won’t pick up on them. Peter also does a rude gesture, but it’s one that is not commonly done outside of the U.K. The violence in the film is at a distance and not graphic at all. Some bad pirates fall to their unseen death and the action sequences are tense with loud sound effects.

Pan is a fabulous family film. From a color perspective, it is dark at times, but it’s not evil or scary for children 7 or older. Our 6 year old was more restless than he was scared. .

 Bottom Line:

Positive themes: Strong female characters, overcoming your fears, discovering new things 4/5

Violence/Scare factor: children being abducted, people falling to their death, sword fights and action sequences. 2/5

Bad language: A couple British English slang words and a rude gesture 1/5

For more information about this movie or to buy tickets, visit Fandango. To get more parents’ opinions on this film, check out Mom’s Movie Minute, as well as these reviews from Swa-Rai and Mom’s Favorite Stuff.