This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

I run an entertainment review blog with a friend of mine, and for some reason, we have an obsession with watching the live NBC musicals to see how bad they can actually get. We watched Sound of Music, which is bad, but it was so hilariously bad that I would recommend you watching it. However, I can not do that for this.It was better. Far better than the Sound of Music. But, that made it unfunny. It was a massive waste of time. I have parts of my wall that I haven't stared at, and I would have rather done that.The set was cheap and awful. It was like looking at a primary school play with a set that the children made themselves. Especially Neverland. THEY HAD TO WRITE NEVERLAND ON THE FLOOR SO THE VIEWERS KNEW WHERE THEY WERE! Also, some of the set and camera work was truly awful. You could literally see the cables that were tied to everyone to make the illusion of flight. Also, I swear I saw a part of the roof in one of the scenes, and the lighting when Peter/Allison Williams got her shadow was SO BAD. You could still see her reflection on the floor! I mean, even the previously mentioned primary school play's lighting is better than that. And the audio. I could hear more fuzz then dialogue! Like, seriously! I thought someone was just controlling Christopher Walken with strings. His enthusiasm seemed about as high as me watching the thing. (But when he forgot his line, I cried with laughter. That was hilarious.) It may seem like I'm just saying technical issues that doesn't really matter to the regular viewer, but it is bad. I love the original movie, and I'm sure the stage play is just as amazing, but this makes me cringe. It makes me feel so bad about what this years The Wiz Live! will be and I just don't understand how they can keep making these.

I liked the Peter Pan that Disney produced in 1953, I liked the animation and the story line. Captain Hook's fear of the crocodile was hilarious and Mr. Smee was the comic relief for the pirates. This NBC version is far from great, it was terrible. I watched about 5 minutes at a time because my sister recorded it. She loved it and constantly sang the annoying songs over and over. Ms. Williams Peter Pan was overly cocky and tried to be center of attention the entire time. Christopher Walken showed little emotion and was horrible in this role. He did other brilliant movies, this isn't one of them. The crocodile was a robot controlled by people and Hook did not willing give up his ship. IN SHORT, don't bother to watch if you liked the Disney version.

Let's forget a moment about: the bad sound quality as the audio gain is turned up so high (in the nursery) that you can hear the ventilation fans. Shaky camera work and technical video flaws, especially in the opening nursery. Did it soar? Yes and no. Allison Williams was quite good but seemed "too tall" for the role. She mastered the art of "flight" and sang very well, but we saw the flying "rigs" far too often, on camera. Story changes? A few in 50+ years are expected. The maid's part is cut to nothing and her dance number in Neverland is missing. Good, colorful, sets, especially the "break-away" nursery. (In the 1960 version, the dance floors were all "studio white".) Good costumes, especially the "Lost Boys" who were wearing the clothes they fell out of the crib in and were much too small, on purpose. The "Indians" looked far too "Hawaiian" for my taste, but at least they were not "stereotypical" from the 1950's. The music was scored very well. The "Lost Boys" are too old and look like lost young men. Capt Hook's beard is "fuller" (and faker-looking) in the publicity pictures. Christopher Walken can dance but he sure can't sing. He looked tired. His performance was too "wooden" and I could write several pages about what's wrong about it. His pirate crew could dance and sing, and (literally) carried him along. A great ticking crocodile! I did not miss the "Mysterious Lady" song (too gay). "When I Went Home" was restored, and it has a haunting quality about it. In short, this remake showed much promise, but someone like the late great Robin Williams or even Steve Martin or Martin Short would have been far better, cast as "Capt. Hook". A "motion capture" version needs to be made, using these iconic songs.The 1960 Mary Martin "Producer's Showcase" broadcast (in "1955" it was not in color) was the best, and had the best "Capt. Hook" (Cyril Ritchard) as well. What made that version work was the charisma between Peter Pan and Hook. Both stars were outstanding. Those sets looked cheap as well. It's currently only available as a fuzzy 2nd generation "unofficial" Goodtimes (Universal) DVD. Even Cathy Rigby's later version is better, but she looks too old-in-the-face. I was disappointed and may not even buy this new version, although it might play better without 40+ minutes of commercials. Look for it, along with "Sound of Music Live" at Big Lots, at the $5 or less,dump bin, by next year.

I thoroughly enjoyed this production. I am not a critic so I will not comment on lighting etc., as some others have. As a 57 year old who refuses to grow up, and who also saw the Mary Martin production, I thought this one was great! I was very impressed with Allison Williams and the whole cast. Christopher Walken was entertaining and the two boys who played John and Michael were very good. I was impressed with those two, as the younger boy had no prior acting experience. I did not notice any lip syncing as someone else mentioned, and I wouldn't have cared if they had. The sets were colorful and beautiful. The voices were great and the production went very smoothly, which was great for a live performance. Peter Pan live was a wonderful, entertaining, and welcome distraction from the garbage and news that is on television now. I hope that NBC continues with the live productions every December.