Hook (1991)
Impressions based on the trailer
Mayhem, bloodshed, ancient evil and child endangerment
Comments after seeing the film.
Jack: Usually here at Don’t Trust the Trailer, we look at the trailers of recent films in the hopes of recommending poorly-advertised diamonds in the rough. This week, however, we decided to look at the trailer for a much-maligned older film that is very near and dear to our hearts: Steven Spielberg’s Hook. Its unique mix of English pantomime theater, Disneyland opulence and a stark, uncompromising central theme of lost innocence makes it one of Spielberg’s most emotionally naked films. But you wouldn’t know it from this complete head-scratcher of a trailer, which makes the film look like a horror movie with fantasy elements. Hook’s hook literally rips through scene transitions like the werewolf claws in The Howling trailer, and one has to wonder if this film’s less-than-stellar critical reputation was a result of its being advertised as more Poltergeist than J.M. Barrie
Anne: What the heck was that?! This is a masterpiece of miscommunication! No wonder this film was so poorly received! You wouldn’t want to take your little kids to see this; it looks underpants-soilingly terrifying! By the same token, if you came in hopes of seeing a horror movie with Hook wreaking havoc, resulting in corpses with glistening entrails, you will be sorely disappointed. What a complete mistake! How could they not show Neverland? How could you show Robin Williams and not include a moment of humor and levity? How could you, advertising team – how could you?!
Final Grade for Film: A
