Second Star

Offering more psychological drama than magic, this modern rendition of Peter Pan traces Wendy’s quest to find her brothers, John and Michael, months after their broken surfboards are retrieved from the ocean. Refusing to believe her brothers have drowned, Wendy travels the California coast to search for them, a journey that leads her to a beach community of abandoned houses. One side of the beach is ruled by squatter Pete, who lives with his band of carefree looters; the other half belongs to drug dealer Jas, who has lured away some of Pete’s friends with his potent “fairy dust.” Both boys may hold clues to what happened to Wendy’s brothers. Blurring the lines between villains and heroes, truth and (perhaps drug-induced) illusion, Sheinmel (The Stone Girl) offers an intriguing premise and a dramatic portrayal of an unstable, grief-stricken teen. However, while Barrie’s classic transplants neatly to a contemporary surf-culture setting, the parallels come across more as a clever hook than an integral part of the story. Ages 12–up. Agent: Josh Bank and Joelle Hobeika, Alloy Entertainment. (May)