Completely Random Confession: I Love the Movie “Hook”

hook_ver2(I’ll find a way to somehow tie this into Thanksgiving by the end of the entry, mark my words.)

There was a Festivus grievance about Peter Pan the other day that made me remember Hook, one of my favorite movies from childhood. It’s one of those movies that I probably watched at least a dozen times as a kid, which was a ton for our family–we didn’t watch much TV at all. But Hook kept making its way back into the VCR.

If I went back and watched it now, I would probably be disappointed. Some kid movies don’t work for adults, and I don’t want to ruin that. It was only later in life that I learned that Hook was one of Spielberg’s most critically panned films.

But there’s SO much to love about Hook:

  • The story: The idea of Peter Pan getting off the island and growing up is brilliant, as is the idea of his return.
  • Robin Williams: I’m not a big fan of Williams, but this role is perfect for him. Also, Peter Pan should be played by a male actor.
  • Rufio: Rufio is awesome! I like that the lost boys continued doing their thing without Pan. Rufio was the perfect leader.
  • Tinker Bell: I love the scene where she puts the moves on Pan. It’s sweetly innocent, and yet there’s a longing in her that seemed real. It elevated her character beyond a mere sprite.
  • Flying: When Pan finally remembers how to fly, it is so amazing. Up until that point I was rooting for Rufio. But when Pan flies, it’s on.
  • Roly Poly: I don’t know his actual name, but the cheery chubby lost boy who curls himself into a ball on the attack on Hook’s boat is awesome.

It’s odd…despite the name, Hook himself doesn’t make the list. He’s not etched into my memory as all that interesting. I recall some minion named Smee running around saying, “Smee’s me,” but I kind of wish I could forget that point, because it’s terrible. Also, I never liked that Pan’s son changed allegiances so quickly. There was something unsettling about that to me.

But overall, I love Hook. It’s up there with Home Alone, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, and Newsies as my top four movies I watched when I was around 10 years old or so.

Do you remember Hook? What did you think of it? What are some of your favorite movies from that time?

Oh, and…I’m thankful for childhood movies that were awesome but probably wouldn’t be nearly as awesome now! Happy Thanksgiving. 🙂

PS. If they made a Rufio movie, I would totally watch it. Rufio!

7 thoughts on “Completely Random Confession: I Love the Movie “Hook””

  1. Yay, I am first! lol
    Hook is one of my favorite movies of all time. I love almost everything about it including the chemistry, as rivals, between Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman. If anything it’s harder to watch because they have aged. It was on a couple nights ago, in fact, and since I had a sniffle, I watched it.

    There are quite a few movies that I watched that year. I had just returned to the States from Mexico and was eager to catch up. As far as first run, Doc Hollywood and the Addams Family stand out. There were more but I had to nudge Dad to let me watch them since they were for more “mature audiences.”

    Rufio was awesome. Matter of factly, Dante Basco, and the cast were featured in a, “Where are they now?” type of article here https://thefw.com/kids-hook-then-now/.

    I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

    Reply
    • I quite agree! Loving Hook should never be a confession, always a proud declaration! It’s an amazing movie. The food fight scene is incredible, long live the imagination.

      I also loved Newsies and Adventures in Babysitting. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Hook has been my favorite movie since age 8 (I’m 24 now – no shame). It’s totally underrated!! Some of the quotes, including “that place between sleep and awake,” have stuck with me throughout the years. So glad to hear that others appreciate it!

    Reply

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