Although not as bad as you might think, I still can’t say there were more positives than negatives.
What Works: There are some truly eye-catching sequences like a bit of exposition told through animated wood sculptures and an all-out pirate-on-fairy battle that looks like a Hindu celebration as fairies explode into clouds of brightly colored dust. When “Pan” is engaged in these expensive-looking bits of fun—the movie supposedly lost a ton of money at the box office—it is actually fun, and it keeps the characters from talking…
What Doesn’t: …Although Rooney Mara is solid in a second-act role the rest of the cast lacks something to be desired. Hugh Jackman gives a so-so performance as the film’s pixie-dust addicted villain but he makes an entrance to a child’s chorus of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and that should tell you something about how campy the role is. Then there’s Garret Hedlund in a career-worst performance and it’s almost as if he’s trying to get nominated for a Razzie award as his over-the-top mannerisms and character’s strange voice is artificial at best and a cry for help at worst.
What I Would Have Done Differently: I’m sure Warner Brothers wishes they’d never made this movie in the first place, and it’s not like a few wise prophets didn’t see it coming…the film did make my “Least Anticipated” list after all.