Everyone seems to agree that Hook was one of Steven Spielberg's great disappointments. It was a reasonable hit after the financial failure of Always, but it was unanimously critically savaged. Even now, 16 years later, and unlike some of Spielberg's less regarded films, people's opinions of it remain unchanged.
When Spielberg has his eye on the ball, he can be a fantastic filmmaker. Duel and Jaws were gruelling experiences that left one physically and mentally drained. Terrific entertainment! And when Spielberg concentrates on more sentimental stories, they can be incredibly tender like Schindler's List and AI. But if he indulges child-like sentiment too much, he turns out overrated mush like ET. And Hook.
Hook is more flawed than any other Spielberg film. Yes it does ask the intriguing question, what if Peter Pan grew up? But the way the film answers it simply doesn't work. There's a clumsiness to its storytelling, and bar a few genuinely exhilarating moments here and there, much of Spielberg's usual magic is sadly absent.
The grown up Peter Pan, now Peter Banning, and played by Robin Williams is a ruthless corporate raider. In a bizarre twist, Peter has become a modern day pirate. He has little time for his wife Moira, and even less time for his children Jack and Maggie. When he visits London for Christmas, Wendy (Maggie Smith) is not the young lady she once was. And she's devastated to learn Peter's not what he used to be either. All the child like innocence and youthful exuberance he once had have all but vanished over the years.
But he must get it back. Because Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman) has just kidnapped Jack and Maggie, and with the aid of Tinkerbell (Julia Roberts) and the Lost Boys, Peter must rediscover his long forgotten past, and become Peter Pan once more.
I think the reason why Hook is such an abject failure is because Spielberg's need for mawkish sentiment really goes into overdrive here. There are all the usual Spielberg trademarks. The inattentive father. Carefully calculated emotional cues. And most importantly, the idea of the fantastical coming into contact with the ordinary. But really, nothing comes off. I was so disappointed with the film. Robin Williams is certainly impish enough. But he only falls into the usual woolly headed sludge that would become his trademark in the 90s. Hook was just for starters.
Dustin Hoffman is much too pantomimic and theatrical as Captain Hook. He adopts a perfect Etonian accent, and looks every inch the character, but never elevates it to threatening status. Even if he looks like he's having the most fun. Julia Roberts is horribly miscast as Tinkerbell. The Disney version had more screen appeal and she never even had to say a word. The miniaturised Roberts struts around the set with giant size fairy wings on her back not doing much of anything else. And her American accent quickly grates. At least Bob Hoskins makes for an entertaining Smee. His scenes with Hoffman are fun, so I suppose the film isn't a total waste.
Roger Ebert thought the Lost Boys looked like they'd walked off the set of Oliver!, and as I was watching the film, I was thinking the same thing. Spielberg is usually reliable for getting good performances out of children, but this time there are just too many to take into account. They're skateboarding(!) and foodfights are frankly just boring.
And I thought the film wasted Maggie Smith. Such a fantastic actress as her should not be shelved aside. The idea of an elderly Wendy is a fascinating one, but it doesn't even try to explore it. Hook sadly underutilises one of Hollywood's greatest unsung actresses.
But the biggest disappointment of all is Never-Never Land itself. I was expecting an extraordinary fantastical wonderland. What we get instead is a curiously stagebound setting. NeverLand looks exactly like the set that it is. And the special effects are well below the high standards of Spielberg. Obvious back-projections. Flat surroundings. Spielberg must really have been having an off-day when he made Hook.
There are a few moments that show some of Spielberg's magical touch. I loved the scene when Peter rediscovers himself as Peter Pan. Its quite well written and ends in a haunting epiphany. Its just a shame that it takes so long building up to it. Still, the scenes of Peter soaring through the sky are wonderful, and makes your heart truly sing. Its the one genuine triumphal act of the entire film.
But the rest of the film seldom flies as high. Hook is too juvenile for its own good, and the journey from Peter Banning to Peter Pan is much too long. Even the climax feels too wound up to make any kind of impact. An utter disappointment. Spielberg's worst film of the 90s.
When Spielberg has his eye on the ball, he can be a fantastic filmmaker. Duel and Jaws were gruelling experiences that left one physically and mentally drained. Terrific entertainment! And when Spielberg concentrates on more sentimental stories, they can be incredibly tender like Schindler's List and AI. But if he indulges child-like sentiment too much, he turns out overrated mush like ET. And Hook.
Hook is more flawed than any other Spielberg film. Yes it does ask the intriguing question, what if Peter Pan grew up? But the way the film answers it simply doesn't work. There's a clumsiness to its storytelling, and bar a few genuinely exhilarating moments here and there, much of Spielberg's usual magic is sadly absent.
The grown up Peter Pan, now Peter Banning, and played by Robin Williams is a ruthless corporate raider. In a bizarre twist, Peter has become a modern day pirate. He has little time for his wife Moira, and even less time for his children Jack and Maggie. When he visits London for Christmas, Wendy (Maggie Smith) is not the young lady she once was. And she's devastated to learn Peter's not what he used to be either. All the child like innocence and youthful exuberance he once had have all but vanished over the years.
But he must get it back. Because Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman) has just kidnapped Jack and Maggie, and with the aid of Tinkerbell (Julia Roberts) and the Lost Boys, Peter must rediscover his long forgotten past, and become Peter Pan once more.
I think the reason why Hook is such an abject failure is because Spielberg's need for mawkish sentiment really goes into overdrive here. There are all the usual Spielberg trademarks. The inattentive father. Carefully calculated emotional cues. And most importantly, the idea of the fantastical coming into contact with the ordinary. But really, nothing comes off. I was so disappointed with the film. Robin Williams is certainly impish enough. But he only falls into the usual woolly headed sludge that would become his trademark in the 90s. Hook was just for starters.
Dustin Hoffman is much too pantomimic and theatrical as Captain Hook. He adopts a perfect Etonian accent, and looks every inch the character, but never elevates it to threatening status. Even if he looks like he's having the most fun. Julia Roberts is horribly miscast as Tinkerbell. The Disney version had more screen appeal and she never even had to say a word. The miniaturised Roberts struts around the set with giant size fairy wings on her back not doing much of anything else. And her American accent quickly grates. At least Bob Hoskins makes for an entertaining Smee. His scenes with Hoffman are fun, so I suppose the film isn't a total waste.
Roger Ebert thought the Lost Boys looked like they'd walked off the set of Oliver!, and as I was watching the film, I was thinking the same thing. Spielberg is usually reliable for getting good performances out of children, but this time there are just too many to take into account. They're skateboarding(!) and foodfights are frankly just boring.
And I thought the film wasted Maggie Smith. Such a fantastic actress as her should not be shelved aside. The idea of an elderly Wendy is a fascinating one, but it doesn't even try to explore it. Hook sadly underutilises one of Hollywood's greatest unsung actresses.
But the biggest disappointment of all is Never-Never Land itself. I was expecting an extraordinary fantastical wonderland. What we get instead is a curiously stagebound setting. NeverLand looks exactly like the set that it is. And the special effects are well below the high standards of Spielberg. Obvious back-projections. Flat surroundings. Spielberg must really have been having an off-day when he made Hook.
There are a few moments that show some of Spielberg's magical touch. I loved the scene when Peter rediscovers himself as Peter Pan. Its quite well written and ends in a haunting epiphany. Its just a shame that it takes so long building up to it. Still, the scenes of Peter soaring through the sky are wonderful, and makes your heart truly sing. Its the one genuine triumphal act of the entire film.
But the rest of the film seldom flies as high. Hook is too juvenile for its own good, and the journey from Peter Banning to Peter Pan is much too long. Even the climax feels too wound up to make any kind of impact. An utter disappointment. Spielberg's worst film of the 90s.