Live-Action 'Peter Pan' Receives Surprising Response From Fans - Inside the Magic

Disney has been on the receiving end of non-stop criticism regarding their recent live-action remakes, including their most recent Peter Pan and Wendy (2023) and The Little Mermaid (2023). Complaints have ranged from colorist casting, desaturated and darkened color grading, and a variety of other changes.

Peter Pan and Wendy was released on Disney+ today, and reviews and responses are surprisingly…positive? The film has released to a Rotten Tomatoes score of 75% (with an audience score of 53%), giving it a higher score than last year’s Pinocchio and Disenchanted, and a higher critics score than Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

Fans took to Twitter after watching this morning to express their opinions on the film, with many expressing their own surprise at enjoying the film. “I don’t usually agree with critics, but honestly the movie was pretty good,” said @michaellattimo6. Another user, @samueloneworld, said it was “an overall good adaptation of Peter Pan…retains the magic of its source material and is still a fun ride.”

A few comments and reviews directly mention one of the film’s controversial decisions, which was to desaturate and darken the visuals compared to the original film. Many fans called it dark and depressing, but several comments point out it’s on purpose. An article from Polygon explains that the dark visuals were the whole point, and that the film is “about conflicted feelings on growing up, and what it takes to face this inevitable step.”

It seems as though some viewers understood that message, as @artby_paulina shares her excitement that the message of the film is to grow up because otherwise you miss out on life. Others, like @MidwifeDigital, expressed their appreciation at the inclusivity of the casting for the film.

Overall, initial reviews seem to be surprisingly positive given the negative reactions and doubt the film has faced for months. While fans are still disappointed with Disney’s continued trend of live-action remakes, it seems possible that the films are enjoyable, if not as good as the classic animated films.

Did you watch Peter Pan and Wendy? If so, let us know what you thought of it in the comments below!