Good, but not quite what I was hoping for (Spoilers)
In the latest installment of the Twisted Childhood Universe, Peter Pan (Martin Portlock) is now a cross between Pennywise and the Grabber (though the two are more similar than Joe Hill had intended). He abducts boys to send them to Neverland for a higher power who is implied to be the bogeyman. Part of his modus operandi is calling his victims’ families, playing the song “Hush, Hush, Here Comes the Bogeyman,” and telling them that he has taken their child to Neverland.
However, this movie has a much more grounded tone than its predecessors. Instead of a child, Peter is a grown man. Tinkerbell (Kit Green) is no longer a fairy. Peter has merely convinced her she is one after abducting her as a child, keeping her in line through intimidation and “pixie dust” that’s really heroin. For much of the film, Neverland appears to be less a real place and more a delusion brought about by drugs and mental instability.
Peter’s latest victim is Michael Darling (Peter DeSouza-Feighoney), who was kidnapped because his sister Wendy (Megan Placito) was distracted. Guilt-ridden, she spends the rest of the movie trying to rescue him. Much like Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey II, you can tell that they put in a lot of effort regarding the characters. There are more interesting dynamics here than with the flat characters in Blood and Honey.
The People and Characters Involved
Taking over directing duties from Rhys Frake-Waterfield was Scott Chambers, who also wrote the script. Chambers played Christopher Robin in Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey II. He also produced all the films. He co-wrote the upcoming Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble. He’s going to direct Blood and Honey 3. And he’s working on an adaptation of Alice in Wonderland as a horror film. At this point, it’s pretty safe to say that TCU has two fathers, Frake-Waterfield and Chambers.
On that note, there are quite a few queer characters in this. Michael is implied to be gay and in love with his best friend. Tinkerbell is a trans woman, and that’s not something that’s supposed to freak the audience out. Her transness is one of her humanizing qualities, to the point that Peter calling her “a failed Lost Boy” is played as a d**k move on his part.
Peter is an interesting foil to Pooh (Ryan Oliva). The dichotomy between them is similar to that between Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger. Pooh is a tragic monster with a sympathetic backstory. Peter also has a sad backstory, at least according to him, but it is otherwise much more heinous. He primarily targets children, which is already a worse brand of villainy. He also kisses Tinkerbell on the mouth, so you can add sexual predator to his list of crimes.
Moving Forward
An early draft of Neverland Nightmare had a slightly different ending. In the finished film, Peter is dragged off by Hook (Charity Kase), who, in this continuity, is another prisoner of his, before the film jumps ahead another year. The script ends with Michael bashing Peter’s head in, only for Wendy to receive a phone call, during which she hears “Hush, Hush, Here Comes the Bogeyman” and male laughter.
Much like Halloween, the ending of the film is supposed to make you wonder if the bogeyman is real. The finished version still carries that implication, with its mysterious glowing tunnel, but in a way that’s not as overt. Chambers has said that he has a whole sequel mapped out where Neverland is a real place, not just a crazy drug hallucination. He just needs a budget, and for this film to have done well to get that sequel. Is this movie good enough to warrant a follow-up?
There’s a lot about this movie that I did like. The cast’s performances were good. Porlock, in particular, is giving the role his all. There are some really cool shots, like Peter’s reflection in a pool of blood. However, I would have preferred something campier, even if I get why Chambers wanted to get so dark. There are also some things you need to not think about. Like how Peter’s van says, “Let’s Go To Neverland.” No one finds that concerning?!
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