Everyone is deeply shocked at the passing of Robin Williams. Just like that, a light of our childhood just went out, as millions wept over the man who captured all of our childhoods. Everyone has their favourite Williams movie. For me, it was Hook. This was the film that I spent countless days watching with my family. Curled up on my father’s stomach and listening to it growl as we were delighted by Spielberg’s fantasy adventure.
There is not a minute of this movie that isn’t devoured by children and adults alike. The pure stretch of the land that Spielberg has created is a vision. It all brims with this fantastical element that made fairies real, flying a talent and magnificent feasts. Pirates, mermaids and everything springs to life. Just watching the battle between the children and the pirates is genius. You are immediately swept up in the world. It’s pure unadulterated make-believe, and every watch makes you feel that youth again. There is also plenty of heavy and emotional moments here too that bring a tear to your eye.
I’ve written about Hook before but I just wanted to hone in on the beautiful and transcendent qualities of the film so wrongly panned by the critics. I’m not saying this because Williams and Hoskins have both passed away this year. I’m saying this because I have not met one person who doesn’t feel the magic here. The people who beg purely for a theme park entirely like the Neverland that Spielberg created. There are those who want to meet Julia Robert’s Tinkerbell, have food fights and skate along in the Lost Boys home. More importantly, people want to grow up and be a child at the same time. We were taught, by the infallible Williams that you can be adult but you have to hold on to that star, first on the right and straight on till morning.
Bangerang