The story of Peter Pan has always been about a mischievous young boy, a group of "lost" boys and the Darling siblings who travel to Neverland in search of adventure. But in the new live action film "Pan," a movie reviewer finds out that its story mirrors that of the Gospel.
"The story of Peter Pan has always been filled with wonder and imagination, but never before has it been as visually spectacular as the new film in theaters, 'Pan.' And I don't recall ever seeing the story of Peter Pan as a picture of the gospel... until now," Drew Zahn writes in his review for WND.com.
The movie's visual effects might be overwhelming and its script lacking punch, but Zahn would heartily recommend the movie to anyone based on the central theme of the story alone.
"'Pan' is a tale about identifying what defines you as a person. For young Peter, left at an orphanage as a baby, his first challenge is to overcome the messages of the cruel nun who runs the place. She belittles him as unwanted, abandoned, unloved and unlovable," he said.
The cruel nun ridicules the young boy's dreams of being special, but Peter clings on to his birth mother's promise: "Don't doubt yourself. You are more than extraordinary."
He later gets abducted by a pirate who has already enslaved thousands of other young boys. But the pirate tries to convince Peter that the slaves are actually "free" and part of a "family" even though they are like "puppets."
"While this may seem self-contradictory, in the film it isn't and in fact is an easy metaphor for the promises of 'freedom' that Satan offers, all the while actually offering bondage," Zahn explained.
"Still later, Peter is told he's the 'chosen one,' a boy of 'prophecy,' even a 'Messiah' who has come to set all the fairy people free from the pirate."
In the end, Peter embraces his destiny as the long-awaited saviour of the enslaved boys, and he embraces being the "son of his mother," a brave, warrior heroine in the story.
"It's a goosebumps moment in the movie, the primary theme of the story and a compelling metaphor for finding our identity in Christ, despite the messages – of condemnation or hopeful expectation – the world throws at us," said Zahn.
The makers of "Pan" might have had no intention of alluding to the story of Jesus Christ, but when they incorporated these "noble themes" into the story, they inevitably touched upon the Gospel, especially the part about the love of a parent rescuing a child from the clutches of Satan.
"This isn't a 'Christian' movie, but the echoes of the Gospel are there, and it's hard to find a picture of the Gospel in a more glittery package," he said.
