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Hook is a 1991 American fantasy adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by James V. Hart and Malia Scotch Marmo. It stars Robin Williams as Peter Pan/Peter Banning, Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook, Julia Roberts as Tinker Bell, Bob Hoskins as Smee, Maggie Smith as Granny Wendy, Caroline Goodall as Moira Banning, and Charlie Korsmo as Jack Banning. The film acts as a sequel to J. M. Barrie's 1911 novel Peter and Wendy, focusing on a grown-up Peter Pan who has forgotten his childhood. Now known as "Peter Banning", he is a successful corporate lawyer with a wife and two children. Hook kidnaps his children, and Peter must return to Neverland and reclaim his youthful spirit in order to challenge his old enemy.

Spielberg began developing the film in the early 1980s with Walt Disney Productions and Paramount Pictures, which would have followed the storyline seen in the 1924 silent film and 1953 animated film. Peter Pan entered pre-production in 1985, but Spielberg abandoned the project. James V. Hart developed the script with director Nick Castle and TriStar Pictures before Spielberg decided to direct in 1989. Hook was shot entirely on sound stages at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California. Although it received negative reviews by critics and was a box office disappointment, it was nominated for multiple categories at the 64th Academy Awards. It also spawned merchandise, including video games, action figures and comic book adaptations.

Plot[]

Spoiler Warning: The following contains important plot details of the entire film.

Peter Banning (Robin Williams) is a successful corporate lawyer whose relationship with his family—especially his two young children Jack (Charlie Korsmo) and Maggie (Amber Scott)—is strained by continuous absences and broken promises. His wife Moira (Caroline Goodall) struggles to keep them together and grows frustrated with Peter for his callous behavior. The family flies to London to visit Moira's grandmother, Wendy Darling (Maggie Smith), who helped Peter find a family when he was a young orphan.

Upon arrival, they meet an old man who has "lost his marbles", Tootles (Arthur Malet), Wendy's first orphan. Peter, Moira, and Wendy attend a ceremony for the expansion of Wendy's orphanage. While they are out, his children are kidnapped, with a dagger bearing a note signed by "Captain Hook" flung into their bedroom door. Wendy tells Peter that he is in fact Peter Pan and that his old enemy has returned and taken his children for revenge, but he fails to remember anything. Tinker Bell (Julia Roberts) appears before Peter that night, knocks him unconscious and flies him to a pirate port in Neverland. There he awakens in disbelief, and is discovered by Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman) and his second in command, Smee (Bob Hoskins), who threaten the children unless he accepts Hook's challenge to a duel. Tinker Bell intervenes and is granted three days in which to prepare him for it.

The Lost Boys, now led by Peter's successor, Rufio (Dante Basco), at first dismiss him as an old man who has no hope of regaining his former glory, but he begins to learn the magic of Neverland. Meanwhile, Hook tries to turn Peter's own children against him in the hopes they will stay in Neverland permanently. He uses Jack's frustration over his father's continuous broken promises to steal his affection. Hook gains his trust during a baseball game he organized for Jack with the other pirates. However, Maggie mistrusts Hook and he realizes that she still believes in Peter in spite of his broken promises and constant absences. Upset by the mistrust she has for him, Hook continues to hold Maggie hostage until she loses faith in her father. Peter is heartbroken when he sees Hook treating Jack like a son, and becomes determined to win his family back. He finally remembers his past and learns how to fly by recalling his "happy thought": being a father.

Peter regains the leadership of the Lost Boys and they challenge Hook and his pirates in an all-out battle. When he learns that Hook has turned Jack against him, Peter must win back his son's trust in him. He rescues Maggie from the other pirates and promises that he'll be more attentive as a father. Meanwhile, Hook and Rufio valiantly fight in a sword fight and Hook stabs Rufio. killing him. Before dying, he apologizes to Peter for his earlier disbelief and realizes how much he loves his family. He wishes that he had a father like him in his life. Watching Rufio die breaks Jack's heart and he turns on Hook, allowing him to regain his trust in his father. Peter and Hook engage in a climactic sword fight. Hook is apparently killed when the crocodile, now a massive clock tower, falls on him and avenge Rufio's death. Peter returns home with Jack and Maggie and designates the largest member of the Lost Boys, Thud Butt (Raushan Hammond), the only other lost boy besides Rufio to whom Peter developed a connection, as leader of the Lost Boys in his absence. Peter also tells all the Lost Boys to take care of everybody smaller than them.

Returning home, Peter finally realizes the love he has for his family and the importance of having a youthful heart. Tootles, a former Lost Boy, is dismayed at missing the adventure, but discovers pixie dust in his bag of lost marbles and uses it to go flying around London and back to Neverland. Wendy remarks to Peter that his adventures are now over, but Peter says to live would be an awfully great adventure.

Spoiler Warning: All spoilers have been stated and have ended here.
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