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Harriet Owen, Blayne Weaver, Corey Burton, Jeff Bennett, Kath Soucie ... see more see more... , Andrew McDonough , Roger Rees , Spencer Breslin , Bradley Pierce , Quinn Beswick , Rob Paulsen , Frank Welker , Jim Cummings , Aaron Span

Almost 50 years after Walt Disney brought James M. Barrie's classic children's tale Peter Pan to the screen in one of the best-loved animated features, the studio that bears his name revisits the stor... read more read more...y of the magical boy who doesn't grow up in this sequel. In London during World War II, Wendy (voice of Kath Soucie) comforts her children with stories about her youthful adventures with Peter Pan (voice of Blayne Weaver) in the fantastic world of Neverland. Young Danny (voice of Andrew McDonough) loves the stories and believes that they're real, but his older sister, Jane (voice of Harriet Owen), isn't so certain. Jane soon discovers her mother is indeed telling the truth when she's kidnapped by the evil Captain Hook (voice of Corey Burton) and spirited away to his lair in Neverland. Hook is still trying to capture his nemesis, Peter Pan, after all these years, and is certain he'll come to the rescue of his old friend, Wendy; however, Hook realizes too late that he's carried away Wendy's daughter instead. Peter comes to the aid of young Jane, but as they do battle with Hook, he realizes it will take some work before Jane will fit in with the Lost Boys. Return to Neverland includes original songs from Jonatha Brooke and They Might Be Giants. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

52% liked it

18,470 ratings

Critics

45% liked it

91 critics

G, 1 hr. 12 min.

Directed by: Robin Budd, Donovan Cook

Release Date: February 15, 2002

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DVD Release Date: August 20, 2002

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Stats: 647 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (647)

  • skeletonking101
    June 2, 2011
    skeletonking101
    not worthy of being a disney sequel
  • DreamExtractor
    March 28, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    Didn't need to be made, no point to it.
  • superclerk25
    June 16, 2010
    superclerk25
    I thought it was ok. I would rather watch Hook than sit through this though. It is better than most of the straight to DVD sequels that disney always puts out though.
  • Godless
    June 16, 2010
    Godless
    Find me a good Disney Cartoon sequal that isnt Aladdin.
  • fb1526363679
    December 2, 2011
    fb1526363679
    Didn't need to be made, no point to it.
  • chickenboboherooftim
    March 8, 2010
    chickenboboherooftim
    In this film we see complete fluke of nature. It's a modern sequel to a Disney classic that is not only watchable, but actually quite good. The story is new, and not based on any of the existing Peter Pan mythology other than the existing characters, which makes the quality of ... read moreit quite surprising. It opens many years after the original film. Wendy has grown up, gotten married, and had two children. It's World War II during The Blitz, and Wendy's husband has been called off to war. In his teary farewell, he tells his daughter, Jane, to take care of her mother and 4-year old brother Danny. She takes this a bit to far, planning out all aspects of her life, throwing away all "childish things," and worst of all, buying her brother a practical birthday present: socks. It's odd, in the original Peter Pan we saw Wendy as a young girl behaving well beyond her years, and it annoyed me. In this sequel however, I found it believable and a good element to the plot. The reason for this probably lies in Jane being a more well developed character, and that she is given a reason for her unusual maturity. Children forced to grow up during tragic times is a strong theme for any film to touch on.

    I actually found the early scenes to be some of the films best, even better than much of the events in Neverland. Oh, Neverland, that's right. Should probably tell you how that place fares out in a film titled "Return to Neverland" shouldn't I? Well, after a night of bombing and Jane's declaration of the Peter Pan stories as being "poppycock," Captain Hook comes in and kidnaps Jane, mistaking her for Wendy. Apparently he's not familiar with this little process we non-Neverland inhabitants like to call "aging." Not to mention Jane looks substantially different than Wendy in her younger years, but that's not important. Point is, they kidnap her, take her in their flying pirate ship and soar through Britain (there's something I never thought I'd say) until they finally launch off towards Neverland. They get there, Hook tries to use Jane as bait to capture Peter Pan, and through a series of events she ends up with Peter and the Lost Boys.

    The overall theme of the movie is the importance of retaining your childhood, seen largely in the Lost Boys and Peter showing Jane how to act like a kid. It's the obvious and expected theme for a movie like this, but it works well. In some ways this was the theme to the original film, but it's a bit clearer here, which I find to be a move for the better. It's not that the theme was subtle in the original, more that it was almost invisible. We also get a touch of holding onto your childhood as you come into adulthood thrown in near the end, which was a nice touch which struck a cord with me as an adult viewer.

    But alas, I have not even gotten to the question everyone asks about a sequel: how was it compared to the first? Well the answer is actually really, really good. The original Peter Pan holds a nostalgic value for me, but comparing the two films outside of nostalgia there's a lot about this one that I like more than the first. The pacing feels quicker (even though it's about the same runtime as the first), the themes are more well expressed, and in a lot of ways it's just a much more beautiful movie. We really see the wonder and beauty of Neverland through some very well made flying sequences. Not to mention Hook is just as much fun as he was in the first movie. He's maniacal and evil, but he's also exceedingly hilarious!

    The film isn't without its problems, which can be summed up as "unnecessary changes." There are several songs by Jonatha Brooke in the film, and their pop nature just doesn't seem to work that well. It's not that they're bad songs, I enjoyed them well enough when I listened to them separately, it's just that they feel wrong in a animated Disney film. Still, they're not nearly as bad as the film's one god-awful musical segment. Seriously, it didn't even sound like a song, just shouting. There's also a change with Hook's nemesis the crocodile. What's the change? Well, he's not there. Instead there's an octopus. That's right, an octopus. It's a completely unnecessary change, since the last film ended with the crocodile still alive. Maybe the filmmakers thought an octopus would be more interesting stylistically, which in some ways is true, but it still feels blasphemous in a Peter Pan film. Everyone over the age of 3 knows Hook is terrified of a crocodile; an octopus is just silly.

    I recently read that Disney has put the lid on all animated sequels, only allowing them to be made if they have a good story to tell, not just to make some quick cash. Return to Neverland is a film that I think, if given a little more polish, would certainly meet their new standards. If you like the story of Peter Pan, give it a look, it's a worthy successor with a lot of respect for its source.
  • fb1644764650
    July 1, 2011
    fb1644764650
    One of the many contemporary examples of the fact that making sequels to Walt's classics in the 21st century is not a good idea.
  • SunilJawahir
    May 2, 2009
    SunilJawahir
    Actually pretty good for a Disney sequel. Some of the voicework is a little odd but whatever.
  • timoncjm
    January 10, 2012
    timoncjm
    It was a enjoyable Disney sequel. It had great animation, excellent voice acting, great characters, terrific music, fantastic visuals and a touching story. I like the new character, Jane. I would recommend this movie to young and old alike.
  • MasterChiefrei
    June 16, 2010
    MasterChiefrei
    It was...alright. Nothing can ever outdo the original but at least this sequel made it to theaters and was decent. Had no arguements again the voices either.

View All Peter Pan in Return to Never Land Reviews

Critic Reviews

Jeff Strickler
November 6, 2002
Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune

Offers enough playful fun to entertain the preschool set while embracing a wholesome attitude. Full Review

Scott Craven
March 4, 2002
Scott Craven, Arizona Republic

Children will enjoy Never Land for its adventure and physical humor. Adults may simply like strolling down memory lane.

Richard Roeper
February 19, 2002
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

If you've got a house full of tots -- don't worry, this will be on video long before they grow up and you can wait till then. Full Review

Ed Park
February 19, 2002
Ed Park, Village Voice

A brisk, reverent, and subtly different sequel. Full Review

Jason Anderson
February 16, 2002
Jason Anderson, Globe and Mail

The boy who wouldn't grow up comes off like a shrill, obnoxious little drip. Full Review

Owen Gleiberman
February 16, 2002
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

Though the characters may connect as nostalgia for boomer parents, their kiddies will wonder what all the fuss was about. Full Review

Edward Guthmann
February 16, 2002
Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle

This is pleasant, safe entertainment that ought to appeal to kids younger than 10, especially to girls, with its female-empowerment fantasy. Full Review

Desson Thomson
February 15, 2002
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

Evokes enough of the first movie to trigger a good time for veteran Pan fans and new audiences.

Sarah Kaufman
February 15, 2002
Sarah Kaufman, Washington Post

ou've got to love a Disney pic with as little cleavage as this one has, and a heroine as feisty and principled as Jane.

Claudia Puig
February 15, 2002
Claudia Puig, USA Today

This follow-up seems so similar to the 1953 Disney classic that it makes one long for a geriatric Peter. Full Review

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