Disney Peter Pan Return To Never Land Blu-ray Combo Pack Review!

On August 20, 2013, Disney finally opened up its vault to release Peter Pan: Return To Never Land  for the first time on Blu-ray!  The special edition combo pack contains a stunning Blu-ray,  DVD, and Digital Copy of the movie for the suggested price of $36.99.

Synopsis:

Let your imagination soar as your favorite characters from Peter Pan, Disney’s classic adventure, return to Never Land! Now, for the first time through the magic of Blu-ray, experience all the thrilling action with digitally restored picture and spine-tingling high-definition sound!

Wendy’s very practical and no-nonsense daughter, Jane, begins the adventure of a lifetime when the infamous Captain Hook whisks her away to the enchanted island of Never Land. It’s up to Peter Pan, Tinker Bell and the Lost Boys to help Jane believe in faith, trust and pixie dust. With the first-ever Lost Girl at his side, will Peter Pan finally defeat Hook and his swashbuckling band of pirates?

Share the power of believing with your family in Return To Never Land—now more spectacular than ever on Disney Blu-ray!

Cast

Blayne Weaver (Manic, 6 Month Rule), Harriet Owen (TV’s “Relative Strangers,” “Castles”), Kath Soucie (Beauty and the Beast, Wreck it Ralph), Corey Burton (Aladdin, The Hunchback of Notre Dame) & Jeff Bennett (Enchanted, Bolt)

Review

The 72 minute animated feature is written by Temple Matthews (The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea, Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas) and is a continuation of the most beloved 1953 film –Peter Pan.   Does is live up to the original?  I am not a huge fan of sequels, since most of them lack the luster and magic of the prequel.  Yet, I believe the continuation does a noble job of recapturing a bit of the splendid pixie dust of the original movie that was written more than 50 years prior.

For enthusiasts of the mischievous boy who can fly and never ages,  Return To Never Land satisfies the curiosity of what became of Wendy after she returns to London.  The movie takes place in the darker times of World War II where Wendy Darling is all grown up and is married to  Edward.  The couple have two children:  a very responsible 12 year old daughter Jane,  and a 4 year old son who receives the comfort of listening to tales of Peter Pan.   Right in the beginning, Edward is called off to fight in the European Theater of the war, leaving Wendy to raise the children by herself in difficult circumstances.

Jane, feeling the responsibility of her Dad’s wishes to look after her mother and younger brother, discards the childish beliefs of Peter Pan and becomes cynical of her mother’s stories.  Dismissing faith, trust, and pixie dust as poppycock, Jane has no time for fun and games.  Believing her mother is just filling her brother’s head full of silly stories;  she belittles the thoughts of Peter Pan and feels the weight of the war.   However, once she learns all the children are being evacuated to the countryside for their protection, Jane cracks under the pressure and snaps at Danny and Wendy.  She tries to destroy Danny’s faith in Peter Pan by telling him that the stories are nothing more than rubbish!  Jane closes her door to be left crying alone to the sounds of sirens, as she falls asleep in front of her bedroom window.

Captain Hook, still seeking the revenge against Peter Pan, sails through the night skies on his pirate ship to find Jane sleeping next to the window.  Mistaking her for Wendy, he sneaks into the room through the window and captures her.  The sirens blare and he abruptly whisks away back to Never Land with Jane in a bag to use as bait for catching Peter Pan.

The adventure basically has the same plot as the original movie and contains most of the same beloved characters such as Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Nibs,  Mr. Smee and pirate crew.  Although, because most of the original voice cast had already died before the making of the film including Hans Conried (voice of Captain Hook) and Bobby Driscoll (the voice of Peter Pan), an entirely new cast of actors had to be used for the sequel.  However, the voice differences do not take away from the charm and the film still is definitely a family treat worth seeing.

There are some great funny moments in The Return To Never Land that should not be missed!  For instance, in the movie the crocodile is replaced with a giant octopus that just loves the taste of Captain Hook and has made it his mission to eat him! Additionally, for those who found the way the Indians were portrayed in the classic film stereotypical, they do not make an appearance in the sequel–nor does Princess Tiger Lily.

As far as the animation, it is breathtaking on Blu-ray!  A feast for the eyes!  One spectacular scene was when Captain Hook escapes with Jane from London to return to Never Land.  The imagery and colors were nothing less than magnificent,  taking the viewer through a colorful utopia.  The movie is a treasure chest filled with plenty of fabulous pixie dust to keep the entire family believing in magic!

Buy It!

The Peter Pan: Return To Never Land  Blu-ray Combo Pack has a suggested retail price of $36.99, but can be purchased at Amazon.com for only $24.96!