Similarities
When Peter (Robin Williams) first wakes up in Neverland, he does not know where he is and mistakenly tries to talk to the pirates civilly. They, of course, attack him for his nice shoes, and Hook (Dustin Hoffman) does not believe he is really Peter Pan. Similarly, the Lost Boys attack “the shrub” when he drops in and they deny he is the “Pan”.
The Lost Boys “kill pirates”, the adults. However, Peter becomes one of them even though he is now an adult. Also, Jack (Charlie Korsmo) becomes a pirate even though he is a kid. What were the rules of age in Neverland (adults are pirates and Lost Boys are kids) are no longer applicable.
Both Lost Boys and pirates use trickery to get their way. Hook recruits Jack through manipulation. Maggie (Amber Scott) resists his temptation to hate her father.
Serious loss happens with both sides, too. Rufio (Dante Basco) gets killed by Hook. Also, Hook’s hand is take by the alligator before this movie. However, the pirates experience even more loss when Hook gets crushed by the falling, dead alligator.
Differences
While there are a lot of things the pirates and Lost Boys have in common, there are a few differences as well.
One theme presented through the Lost Boys is faith is better than fear. The lost boys and Peter’s children believe in him. Jack and Maggie trust him, even after he does not save them from Hook the first time. All the kids declare “I believe in you” and “you are Peter Pan”. They love and have faith in him.
However, the pirates are afraid of Hook. Even Smee (Bob Hoskins) fears Hook. When we first see Neverland, Hook kills a pirate he believes does not have faith in him. (That pirate is actually Glenn Close dressed as a man! Ha!)
However, Time recreates Peter Pan. He is afraid of time as well when he was a child. However, “just three days” makes Peter Banning back into Peter Pan. It works in his favor as an adult.
Ultimately, the Lost Boys and the pirates are not all that different. Both parties need someone to lead them (i.e. Hook and Peter). They are all children, stuck in Neverland, and fighting for unknown reasons.
If you love Peter Pan and the many interpretations, you need to see the geek-tastic Neverpedia!
Ever thought of Neverland as a heaven for child death? It is an interesting idea I had not considered but is worth pondering.
Thanks for reading!