Return to Never Land
2002 · Directed by Robin Budd
Original language: English
- adventure
- fantasy
- animation
- family
The story
In 1940, the world is besieged by World War II. Wendy, all grown up, has two children; including Jane, who does not believe Wendy's stories about Peter Pan.
What it’s like
Bright, saturated hand-drawn animation with a storybook softness: crisp primary colours over painted skies, flat cel shading, and the glow of a nightlight-warm Neverland against the greyer, rationed look of wartime London. The rhythm is brisk and sing-along, with flying sequences that sweep across open sky and bursts of pixie-dust sparkle, and a score that leans on lilting orchestral swells and cheerful pop-leaning melodies. The mood is wistful but buoyant, a cartoon adventure that treats childhood imagination as a comfort in hard times. Its people are a grown-up dreamer and a skeptical child slowly finding their way back toward wonder. Intensity is low: some peril, mild menace from pirates and villains, and no gore or real cruelty. It suits a family movie night, a lazy afternoon with kids, or a nostalgic rewatch, and it is for viewers who want gentle, colourful escapism with a warm heart.
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