Movie Reviews

‘Wendy’ Review – Despite its Flaws, France and Mack are Future Stars

By Dom Fisher
March 11, 2020
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Synopsis:

The classic story of Peter Pan is wildly reimagined in this ragtag epic. Lost on a mysterious island where aging and time have come unglued, Wendy must fight to save her family, her freedom, and the joyous spirit of youth from the deadly peril of growing up.

Many of us can recall the magical story of Peter Pan from our childhood. In fact, we embodied that Pan spirit for as long as we could. We never wanted to grow up until we were convinced it was better to do so, to then later wish we could go back and be a kid again. In Wendy, that spirit still lives on but with a more grounded approach. What if, as a child, you could go to a place where you could live in your adolescence forever? No bills, no responsibilities, no adults planning your future without you, and fun always. Sounds alluring, however, there are a few caveats that are not fully explained by the other kids. Wendy is a story about starts off about hopes and dreams but then becomes more about the contrasts between youth and adulthood, family, and belief. Don’t fret though, we still get the basics of the Peter Pan story that you loved, but this isn’t Disney. This story is filled with mythology on how the beautiful volcanic island works and who protects it and what happens to those who no longer believe. There’s a very somber and ominous vibe to the entire film. Even at its most joyous moments, you just know that something is afoot.

It feels very Lord of the Flies. There’s even a scene that’s very reminiscent of The Walking Dead that lends itself to very predictable moments that come later. As it’s a take on a story we know, some moments we know will happen. The goal is to make those moments unique and somewhat surprising, and neither was the case. The acting of Devin France as Wendy was great. We are really able to see the world through her perspective. Also, the films take on the character, Peter is refreshing and ultimately saddening. The cinematography and screenplay along with the score are coupled in a way that gives the film a very emotional tone throughout its entirety. However, the film’s middle is derailed a little and seems confused about what exactly it wants to do. In the end, the film’s messages seem to be aimed more at adults rather than a simple adventure story for kids. Overall, I enjoyed the film. It’s not as mesmerizing as you’d want it to be but it’s worth a watch.

Plot & Pace

The pacing of the film is great in the first act, but as I said previously when the film slightly loses itself, it slows down tremendously. The film follows a growing Wendy who is growing up above a diner that her mom also works at. After a young boy disappears onto a train when she is a toddler, years pass and Wendy is now a few years older and working alongside her mother at the diner. Destined to follow in her mother’s footsteps and feeling her dreams fade, Wendy’s thirst for adventure gets the best of her and she, along with her brothers, hops on the mysterious train to a place they’ve never been and will never forget. Greeted by a perplexing young boy with dreads, he guides them to an island where time can stand still and move rapidly at the same time. When tragedy strikes and she begins to miss her mother, Wendy must figure out a way to save her family and get home.

Characters & Chemistry

The film was carried by its two main characters, Wendy (Devin France) and Peter (Yashua Mack). As far as I know, this if the first film for both actors but you wouldn’t know it by how great they did. There was abuilding tension between the two the entire time after they met that eventually explodes. We were able to see kids be kids in a pure way. Peter is a tad manipulative, sneaky and definitely drinks his own kool-aid but is a natural leader. Wendy is smart and is simply curious to see the world outside of her small town and is willing to take a huge risk to do so. The future looks bright for these two.

Wendy released in select cities on February 28th but releases nationwide on March 13th. Enjoy the movie.

Director: Benh Zeitlin

Writers: Benh Zeitlin and Eliza Zeitlin

Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 1h 52m

Rating: 3 out of 5

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKktQFFcXL0]