Disney Plus released “Peter Pan and Wendy,” a new, live-action rendition of the famous “Peter Pan” story on April 28. The new adaption of the famous story has beautiful scenery, stunning performances from actors and keeps the familiar feeling of childhood while adding more modern aspects to the film. This is a new release audiences won’t want to miss out on. 

The new film keeps the same storyline from the beloved original, released in 1953, so people of all ages can enjoy it. “Peter Pan” is an iconic character who is held dear by millions of people, and they get to enjoy all the characters from the original film in this new rendition. The actors of the Darling children were absolutely incredible. They brought the child-like innocence which is the main-point for each of those characters, but their performances didn’t have that insincere feeling that is common among child actors. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the actor who played Peter. Young actor Alexander Molony played Peter in the film, and his performance felt awkward and wasn’t believable, especially compared to the other child actors in the film. 

The movie had incredible scenery and cinematography, something the original animation didn’t have. Childhood films that are being remade need to have something the original didn’t have, so audiences don’t feel like they are just watching the same movie over again. With this film, the stunning cinematography is what set it apart from the original. Because the original “Peter Pan” was animated, there were no visual aesthetics in the film, but the remake did not keep with that theme. The new movie was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, and the audience was pleasantly surprised by all the genius camerawork along with a stunning background. 

Certain parts of the movie were still computer generated, such as the small size of Tinker Bell, played by Yara Shahidi, and the comedic crocodile that has the well-known interaction with Captain Hook, played by Jude Law, at the end of the film. The animated parts of the film were absolutely stunning, even in the new age of computer generated images in 2023. Multiple parts of this film wouldn’t have been possible without the technological advances that have been made since the original movie was released. 

Overall, audiences were pleasantly surprised by the acting, videography, iconic storyline and new animations in the film. It kept the same nostalgic storyline that millions of people grew up with, while also adding modern elements to it which gave it leg up when it comes to remakes. This film deserves an 8 out of 10.