MovieChat Forums > Hook (1991) Discussion > Why didn't this work?

Why didn't this work?

posted 11 years ago by ComicNerd
69 replies | jump to latest

I think one of the frustrating things about Hook is despite all of the talented people involved, there is just something about this movie that doesn't gel together.

John Williams score is good, the acting is not bad, Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman and Bob Hoskins are excellent, yet the movie is a misfire.

For myself, I think the movie looks to stagey. Everything in Neverland is an obvious set, and would be at home on Broadway, but on the big screen it somehow doesn't work for me.

I like Peter's journey to rediscover himself as Pan. There are good scenes in the movie but it just never fits together properly.

[–] vargstra 9 years ago

i don't understand at all why people of today bash it. I loved it when I was a kid and love it now. It's magic

[–] johannes_sjolte 8 years ago

I was very surprised to learn that so many people dislike this movie. I was about 17 when Hook came out, so I never watched it as a kid, but really love anyway. I have watched it over and over again.

[–] Sanke 8 years ago

The Peter Banning character is almost a reflection of those who dislike it. He had such a hard time using his imagination and just having fun that it completely clouded his judgment.

[–] Michael71 8 years ago

I've always loved the movie and I rewatched it and I still love it and I appreciate all the little jokes I didn't understand as a kid, so I love it even more if anything.

Perhaps some felt it was too long for a kids film, and maybe people didn't buy Robin as Pan, maybe people thought he was just messing around being his sterotypical self, which is true but the film is still a masterpiece I think.

[–] justanicknamed 8 years ago

Just watched this with my wife & kids over the holiday and still loved it. Saw it when I was in my 20's and was really amazed with the scenery and color.

[–] cookiela2001 8 years ago

I can't take it....turning it off after 25 mins. It's completely non-engaging.

I guess it doesn't help that I've never been a huge Robin Williams fan -- he's a very self conscious actor (though I like his bit in Dead Again.)

The only interesting thing is noting that Caroline Goodall, who plays the wife, was also used by Spielberg a few years later as the wife in Schindler's List.

Goodbye forever.

.

[–] KristenStewartForever 8 years ago

It didn't work because it's not Barrie's work. Barrie would've never approved. Peter Pan is never gonna grow up. There is only one official sequel and it's called Peter Pan's NeverWorld. Tinker Bell is all screwed up in this version. It's Just all wrong. Peter Pan is based on a real boy who achieved the impossible and never grew up. It's not something you can Just make a Hollywood money grabber out of.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] TMC-4 (19482) 6 years ago

Steven Spielberg's Hook: What Went Wrong?

http://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/hook/244544/steven-spielbergs-hook-what-went-wrong

[–] PeterBlues (790) 6 years ago

this looked a bit enchanting at the beginning, but then as the whole ship setting starts and runs through the movie it just bores me until i can't keep watching and i haven't been able to sit through it to this day, and i'm no longer the age group this appeals to, and julia roberts distracts from the story somehow, maybe that part worked better when she wasn't a major star. i looked up a review of this and it seems like the critics agree with the first poster here (who i actually think makes some great points), it gets close to bottom rating and some pretty rough comments.

🌅

mrs claus,
bustin out,
like a flake on her long curls shook me around,
her hand scratched the map where i reside,
slippin as rough weather she made,
knocked me out at daybreak,
at weekend a gift surprise,
as mrs claus busted out.

[–] Wuchak (8203) 6 years ago

Why didn't this work?

The movie cost $70 million and made $301 million worldwide with $120 million of that in the USA. It "worked" well enough for the producers and studio.

[–] csweetleaf2 (3542) 5 years ago

I thought this was a good movie and loved Dustin Hoffman's performance as the titled character and Robin Williams' performance as Peter Pan, the only blemish of the film was Julia Roberts' godawful performance as Tinker Bell, I thought she was annoying.