I vowed to see it on theaters. Then I vowed to see it on DVD. Then finally, I was able to see it on a rented, low-resolution vcd last night. Sigh.

I wasn�t able to haggle in Quiapo yet for a pirated (how apt) version of Peter Pan. The movie, known for all their dazzling high-resolution cgi�s enough to shame all of the Pans before them, must be seen on a DVD if I�d have to marvel at their work, I said, but since I didn�t know what to rent at Video City last night I decided to pick the newly out version up. I only remembered my vow the minute I stepped out of the store, which is really infuriating, come to think of it. Desire really blocks logic out of a person.

It did not really blow me out of my mind, but against the other Peter Pans (like the movie Hook and others), thanks to technology Universal Pictures was able to come up with a picture-wise better depiction of the old yet charming story that seized the kids� beds of England. They were also able to put something that a lot of story tellers before them were not capable of showing: the real romantic tension between the pubescent Peter Pan and Wendy Darling, which has always been existent yet underrated.

The story expounded a lot on details which people used to leave out on the picture: Wendy Darling and her brothers John and Michael used to conquer pirates of England through their plastic swords and beds used as boats, with the help of Wendy�s exquisite story telling. But Wendy, with the thought of their parents hinting maturity should be all over with them by now, was slowly becoming afraid of losing her imagination, thinking that she finally has to leave the land of pirates to be able to move over to the land of cocktails and parties. After an incident that involved their dog and her �wild� imagination of a boy flying above her while she was sleeping, she was somehow made to tether her thoughts and grow up.

And then, Peter Pan comes along.

With the usual fairy-dust-and-happy-thoughts routine they flew over England into the wide skies leading to Neverland. From there, the siblings and Pan�s Lost Boys was subjected to yet another territorial dispute with the famous pirate Hook and his minions, leading to another great battle between the two warriors of vast imagination.

Although it�s not as witty as I hoped it would be, so far this has been the most colorful story of Peter Pan I came across with, and it�s amazing how they were able to momentarily include Princess Hiawata in the story. But what�s more amazing is the way they featured Pan�s story with double meanings but still subtle enough to be able to still cater to the younger audiences. How? Come to think of it, the story they have presented of Peter Pan isn�t just about Neverland and his desire not to grow up. The story also presented the conflicts and tensions inside a human being, in a rather schizophrenic approach.

Schizophrenic? Yes. Think Gollum of Lord of the Rings and his alter ego, in a more subtle image. Peter Pan has been the representation of any person�s self in denial.

It�s curious to note that Neverland was presented as a place that would actually be bleak without Peter. In the story whenever he leaves the place it becomes icy and even a bit morose, which amazingly turns festive whenever he returns�which became the cue for pirates if he has already returned or not. They have placed an attachment with Peter and the land itself, like what he feels becomes the theme of the surroundings too. It shows a Peter that has created his own world in Neverland, the land he could choose not to grow up. The representation of every escape place or microcosm we choose to slink back in as a refuge. Another good thing to note is that Neverland is also accessible only by night, when most people are asleep and dreaming.

But what is Peter�s problem? He�s flooded by the fear to grow up. Things are easier to accept if you�re young. He is forever attracted to Wendy�s stories but he always stifles his attraction with her. He seems curious to learn but is afraid to go to school and become a working man. But what is he really afraid of? Another idea presented in the movie is the concept of feelings, which Hook amazingly knows it�s Peter�s greatest weakness. Along with the loss of innocence is the flow of uncontrollable feelings which Peter was afraid to tolerate. After a dance with Wendy, he questions this, almost terrified. Why do I have to feel? I taught you to fight and play, did I not? To the character embodied by Peter, being able to feel intricate things is almost a crime. Being able to feel can conjure hurt. Pride. Pain. Neverland is only about happy thoughts in order to fly.

As the alter ego, Hook plays the persona who kept on taunting Peter with the truth. He too, along with Neverland, would be useless without Peter, and he knows that. He mocks Peter with haunting words about Wendy. Wendy does not like you. Wendy wants to grow up. Wendy isn�t of the same reality as you. Phrases of which Peter tries to deny, being afraid to lose his identity and be hurt.

And that Peter does not understand. If he brought Wendy to his reality and seems to be immensely enjoying it, then why does she have to ask things from him that he would not be able to comply to? Why does he have to grow up? He tries to go back to Wendy�s reality and close down the open window of opportunity that�s waiting back for her but fails miserably. He wouldn�t let her grow. But for Wendy it�s not just a case of simply adding up figures to your age, it�s maturity and being able to finally feel, and finally face the real reality which England. Which is life, and not some conjured microcosm of Pirates and boys. To battle with the truth, and not just escape with pixie dust every time a need to fly away is apparent.

Wendy sees this and takes sides with Hook, as she sees he�s not afraid to grow up. Peter was taken aback. He did not realize that Wendy would actually join forces with Hook. But did she really literally join forces with Hook? For the persona of Peter, Wendy joining Hook�s camp may only signify that the things his alter ego�s showing him is becoming more and more prominent in Wendy, something Peter didn�t know how to react to. And with this, Hook would be able to taunt: see, what did I tell you? I�m right after all, ain�t I?

In the end, Peter is able to battle it out with Hook, with a significant help from the alligator which swallowed a ticking clock�the representation of time. And when he realizes he could not force Wendy to believe in his ideals, and realizing he still could not let go of his own, he decides to let Wendy go back to England, again, in the middle of the night.

Peter the Schizo. Nice work, don�t you think?

(didn’t have much time to edit this. If there are errata, please bear with me.)