With a filmography as vast as Steven Spielberg’s, everyone will have a different opinion on his most underrated film, and even though the director himself isn’t too fond of it, I believe it isHook. As a sequel to J. M. Barrie’s novelPeter and Wendy,Hookreimagined the mythos of Peter Pan in modern day and starred Robin Williams as a grown-up version of the fantasy hero. With Dustin Hoffman in the villainous role of Captain Hook, this 1991 adventure’s star-studded cast lived up to the lofty expectations set by previous Spielberg children’sclassics likeE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
Hookwas one of Spielberg’s most ambitious and unique releases as he sought to depict the imaginary faraway place known as Neverland as it had never been seen on screen before. As a live-action exploration of the man previously known as the boy who wouldn’t grow up, on paper,Hooklooked like the ideal project for Spielberg’s unique talents. Despite being a cult classic that has countless supporters around the world, one person who doesn’t agree thatHookwasSpielberg’s most underrated filmwas Steven Spielberg himself.
Why Steven Spielberg Doesn’t Like Hook
Spielberg Wasn’t Confident In The Material
WhileHookwas an imaginative fantasy that brought to mind much of the same appeal asRaiders of the Lost ArkandJurassic Park, Spielberg himself was not very proud of the movie. In an interview withEntertainment Weeklyin 2011,Spielberg spoke candidly about his issues with the film, and although he said, “There are parts of Hook I love,” he clearly has mixed feelings about the project.
Spielberg said he was proud of the early parts ofHook, right up until Peter was hauled off in the parachute out the window, and following this, he was “uncomfortable” with the Neverland sequences. Spielberg tried to capture the highly stylized world of Neverland through the production of physical sets and claims that if he could go back in and redoHook, “I would probably have done with live-action character work inside a completely digital set.”
Spielberg lamented that “I tried to paint over my insecurity with production value."
Speaking again about his frustrations withEmpirein 2018 (viaDen of Geek),Spielberg went into more detail and claimed he didn’t have confidence in the scriptand felt like “a fish out of water” making the movie. While he was happy with the first act and the epilogue, he said he didn’t have confidence in the middle act and “I didn’t quite know what I was doing.” Rather than have faith in the material, Spielberg lamented that “I tried to paint over my insecurity with production value,” and the more insecure he felt, the “more colorful the sets became.”
Spielberg Actually Does A Great Job With Neverland In Hook
The Neverland Sequences Are A Highlight Of Hook
It’s interesting that most of Spielberg’s frustrations withHookwere related to Neverland, when those sequences are exactly the reason many hold the film near and dear to their hearts today. As a richly imaginative world that’s characterized by a real sense of marvel and imagination, the fact that Neverland consisted of physical sets helped the movie feel so wondrous and stand apart from the CGI-heavy style of so many modern family-friendly movies.
WhileHook’sstylistic presentation may have been born out of insecurity, this tale of pirates, fairies, and childlike wonder has so much going for it and was a firm example that nobody can do nostalgia quite like Spielberg.Williams gave a typically committed performance as Peter, and watching his interactions with the band of misfit children known as the Lost Boys was one of the most enjoyable aspects of the entire film.
AlthoughHookmay look a bit dated due to the limitations in technology at the time, it more than made up for this with impressive production design and a keen eye for detail. While Spielberg was quietly struggling throughout the production and attempting to mask his insecurity with increasingly bombastic visuals, from the perspective of a child viewer, this was part of what madeHooksuch a spectacle to witness.
Hook Is One Of The Best Peter Pan Adaptations
Spielberg Added New Depth To The Mythos Of Peter Pan
When all is said and done, the truth is thatHookstands as one of the bestPeter Panadaptations out there. As a story that has been endlessly retold and rebooted,few depictions can live up to the poignant power of Barrie’s original story or the iconic Disney animated theatrical version. WithHook, Spielberg effectively added to the lore ofPeter Panto tell a new story that dealt with the liminal space between childhood and adulthood in a way that connected with countless viewers around the world.
Hookstrikes the perfect balance of emotion and sentimentality and gets to the heart of what this story about a boy who never grows up was really about. By having Williams’ Peter return to Neverland to rediscover his childlike sense of wonder,Hookreminded us all not to let our curiosity disappear and to embrace the positive side of our juvenile impulses. Add to this Dustin Hoffman’s fantastic performance as Captain Hook, and the film stands as one of Spielberg’s most underrated movies.
Spielberg Hasn’t Really Made A Movie Like Hook Since
Hook Was The End Of An Era For Spielberg
Another reason thatHookwas Spielberg’s most underrated movie was that he hasn’t made anything quite like it since. While this is probably because he simply doesn’t want to, this is a real shame, as he tapped into something quite special with this movie that makes it unique in his filmography. As a filmmaker,Spielberg’s career can be separated into two distinct categories, with early films likeE.T. the Extra-Terrestrialbeing told from the perspective of a child and later movies seeing the world through the lens of fatherhood.
The transition between these two eras first began withIndiana Jones and the Last Crusadeand came to full fruition withHook. Since first becoming a father in 1985, up to the release ofHook, Spielberg’s style shifted to a more mature kind of filmmaking, leading towar movies likeSchindler’s ListandSaving Private Ryan. While this more mature version of Spielberg did result in some of his very best movies, I can’t help but miss the playful sense of wonder at the heart ofHookand wish Spielberg could see the movie for the classic that it is.
