Pan

MPAA Rating: PG for fantasy action violence, language and some thematic material
Run Time: 111 Minutes
My Rating: 2.5/5
So today my family and I saw Warner Brothers' Pan starring Hugh Jackman (Les Miserables), newcomer Levi Miller, Garrett Hedlund (Tron Legacy), Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), and Amanda Seyfried (Les Miserables).  It is a prequel to the Peter Pan tale we know and love.  It details how Peter arrived at Neverland and how he eventually came the hero forever known as Peter Pan.
So this film was just ok.  I really wanted to love this film, but unfortunately that just wasn't the case for me.  I liked it and think that for its target audience (children) it is a great film, but for those outside its target audience (adults) it will just be good, but not great.  For children, they will love the action and adventure that this film brings.  They will experience the magic of Neverland and learn that as long as they believe in themselves they can do whatever their hearts desire.  As for adults, they will enjoy the beautiful visuals.  The visuals are stunning and it really makes Pan worth watching.  For those that grew up with the animated Peter Pan, you will love seeing Neverland brought to life.  It is absolutely great to see.  Also, the cast does a very good job, especially with what they were given. This stuff makes the film bearable to watch.
Unfortunately for adults, the visuals and the adequate acting are the only things you will be liking about this film.  The thing that disappointed me the most was the story.  It was marketed as a prequel to Peter Pan, but for audiences, it leaves much to be desired.  I assumed that Pan would fill in all the loose ends on how Peter Pan and Captain Hook became the enemies they are today, but that was not the case.  This leaves the audiences with more questions than what they came in with, which isn't a good thing for this film.  I think the studio was expecting this film to be successful in hopes of making sequels, but the studio forgot that they needed to make something that audiences would want to see more of.  Unfortunately, that is not the case for this film.
Overall, I thought the film was good, but I was really disappointed with the final product.  However, kids will love it and really that's all that matters.  The target audience is definitely represented here and even though the parents that take them will be disappointed, it is a small sacrifice to see our children happy.  This may not be the best film, but for kids it is quite an enjoyable ride!!!

Thanks again for reading!!  If you have any questions, comments, or ideas just let me know!!