--- title: "Peter Pan: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/peter-pan-1953/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/peter-pan-1953" critics_score: 66 critics_reviews: 13 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Peter Pan (1953): what the critics said Critics' score 66 from 13 reviews: 8 positive, 4 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics like Disney’s Peter Pan, and the praise gathers in two places. The first is the look of it: the Technicolor animation and the colour and design schemes of Mary Blair are singled out repeatedly, even in reviews that have little time for the rest. The second is Captain Hook, whom several critics call the most entertaining thing on screen, with the crocodile, Smee and Tinker Bell close behind. The songs, the flying sequences and the brash energy of the action are mentioned often, and the earliest review is warm about the voice work of Bobby Driscoll, Kathryn Beaumont and Hans Conried. The reservations are just as consistent. Most later reviews object to the depiction of the Native Americans, and several find that Disney softens Barrie’s darker thoughts about growing up into something thin and muddled. The spread is wide. The Guardian finds Barrie’s magic almost entirely absent, and Slant Magazine, the lone outright negative, calls the film a footnote in Disney’s output. ## The Hollywood Reporter — THR Staff Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 5 February 2019. The critic praises the Disney animated adaptation for its charm and beauty in capturing the imaginative spirit of childhood in a way that captivates both adults and children. They highlight the Technicolor fantasy sets, lilting music score, and direction by Hamilton Luske, Clyde Geronimi, and Wilfred Jackson. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/peter-pan-review-1953-movie-1177780/) ## Variety — Variety Staff Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1952. The review calls the Disney animated feature a cartoon of enchanting quality that brings Barrie's fantasy to the screen with strong voice work and lively action. It praises the performances of Bobby Driscoll as Peter, Kathryn Beaumont as Wendy, and Hans Conried as Hook, while noting the score highlights the comedy and adventure. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1952/film/reviews/peter-pan-4-1200417441/) ## Empire — Ian Nathan Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 31 July 2006. The critic praises the film's enchanting animation, catchy songs, energetic wit and the memorable Captain Hook as a standout villain. However, it notes that the Disney approach softens the darker, more complex themes of J.M. Barrie's original play about growing up. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/peter-pan-2-review/) ## Los Angeles Times — Charles Solomon Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 14 July 1989. The re-release review describes the 1953 Disney film as one of the most exciting and colorful in the canon, highlighting its brash energy, flying sequences, and comic Hook-crocodile battles as magical cinematic moments. It notes the film's enduring appeal while criticizing the dated depiction of the Indians. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-07-14-ca-3861-story.html) ## The AV Club — Scott Tobias Rating B-. 14 March 2007. The review finds that the 1953 film restores some innocence to Peter Pan amid modern associations but notes that time has not been kind due to problematic stereotypes and superficial handling of growing up. It singles out Captain Hook as the most entertaining element that saves the movie. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/peter-pan-platinum-edition-1798202414) ## Time Out — PM Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 27 March 2014. The critic notes Disney's alterations to the source material, such as American voices and songs, but concludes that overlooking these allows viewers to enjoy the film's vibrant Technicolor animation. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/peter-pan-1) ## Film Comment Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). The postwar Disney animated features are often dismissed, and Peter Pan has its faults including underdeveloped characters, a thin story, and muddled themes. However, it is a colossal mistake to overlook the film for its stunning color and design schemes by the influential Mary Blair, which look especially terrific on the new Blu-ray release. [Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/article/disney-peter-pan-dvd-review) ## The Guardian — DM Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). The critic notes that JM Barrie magic is almost entirely absent from Disney's 1953 animated feature. State-of-the-art draughtsmanship is singled out as a positive. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/movie/82501/peter-pan) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 12 February 1953. The review covers the release of Disney's full-length color cartoon adaptation of the Barrie play at the Roxy. It focuses on the animated treatment of the classic story with its characters and fantasy elements. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1953/02/12/archives/the-screen-disneys-peter-pan-bows-fulllength-color-cartoon-an.html) ## Slant Magazine — Eric Henderson Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 6 March 2007. The critic views the film as a footnote in Disney's output, criticizing its commercialized and problematic elements including stereotypes and themes of arrested development. They single out the re-release extras and digital remastering for commentary on the film's enduring but flawed iconography. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/peter-pan-dvd/) ## Collider — Dave Trumbore Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 4 June 2018. The critic praises the timeless quality of the 1953 Disney classic's animation, music, and story. The anniversary Blu-ray edition is recommended as a must-buy for its extensive bonus features exploring the film's production. [Read the review](https://collider.com/peter-pan-bluray-65th-anniversary-review/) ## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 15 March 2007. The critic finds the adventure still has heart, praising the supporting cast like Hook, Smee, the crocodile, and Tinker Bell, but notes it's not quite the classic claimed, with dated social mores and offensive depictions of Native Americans. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/peter-pan-special-edition-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) ## /Film — Josh Spiegel Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 5 February 2018. The piece grapples with the film's memorable imagery and music alongside its problematic retrograde depictions of women and people of color, noting it endures despite these flaws. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/556098/peter-pan-anniversary/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/peter-pan-1953.md