Steven Spielberg’s Most Polarizing Movie Gets a Major New 4K Release This Fall
Steven Spielberg has spent more than five decades making movies, and his filmography is packed with classics that have become part of the cultural fabric. Jaws, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, and Schindler’s List are just a handful of the films that helped establish Spielberg as one of the most influential directors in Hollywood history.
Even after all these years, Spielberg’s movies continue to find new audiences, whether through theatrical rereleases, streaming or upgraded home-video editions. But not every Spielberg movie has enjoyed the same level of universal acclaim.
One of his most divisive movies is getting a major new release this fall, giving fans a chance to revisit one of the director’s strangest and most ambitious family adventures.
That movie is Hook, Spielberg’s 1991 reimagining of J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan story starring Robin Williams as a grown-up Peter Pan and Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook. To celebrate the movie’s 35th anniversary, Sony is releasing Hook as a limited-edition 4K Ultra HD SteelBook on Nov. 17.
The new release features the movie restored from the original camera negative in 4K with Dolby Vision, along with English Dolby Atmos audio. But the biggest draw for longtime fans may be the collection of new and archival bonus material. The release includes Hook: Never Never Ending, an all-new, hour-long documentary featuring never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage from the production, interviews with Spielberg, Williams, Hoffman, and Julia Roberts, footage of the crew at work, and Spielberg’s own home movies.
What Is Hook About?
Hook begins with Peter Banning (Robin Williams), a successful but work-obsessed lawyer who has seemingly forgotten the carefree boy he once was. That changes when his children are kidnapped by Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman), forcing Peter to return to Neverland and confront a past he no longer remembers.
In Neverland, Peter must rediscover the imagination and sense of wonder he left behind as a child if he hopes to rescue his children from Hook. The movie combines Spielberg’s trademark sense of adventure with a considerably more sentimental take on the Peter Pan mythology.
And that’s where the movie’s reputation gets complicated.
Hook was a major box-office success when it arrived in 1991, but critics were considerably less enthusiastic. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Visual Effects, yet its reception has remained mixed in the decades since its release.
For some viewers, Hook is an endlessly rewatchable childhood favorite packed with memorable performances and elaborate sets. For others, its overstuffed story and sentimental approach don’t quite live up to the director’s best work. That division has arguably become part of the movie’s legacy. What was once viewed as one of Spielberg’s lesser efforts has developed a devoted following among people who grew up with it — making the 35th anniversary release an especially fitting excuse to return to Neverland.