We all know the story of Wendy Darling and Peter Pan and their adventures in Neverland. But what happened after Wendy came back? It’s been 15 years, and Wendy is obsessed with Peter, Neverland, and finding her way back. Yet when she finally meets Peter again, things don’t go quite as planned.

Darling, Darling, Wendy is a short film directed by Elise Robertson (Donner Pass) and written by Katherine Sainte Marie (Wicked Mirrors). The short offers a unique look at what happens after the beloved story we all know and love. It is quickly established that Wendy, now married with a daughter of her own, has been a bit unhinged since her return from Neverland. She tries to spend most of her time in the nursery, and for some reason she is not allowed to be left alone with her own daughter. In hopes Wendy will leave these childish thoughts behind, her husband allows her to spend one final night in the nursery.

The plot weaves together various mysteries to keep the viewer intrigued. Was Neverland real? Why can’t Wendy be alone with her daughter? Will Peter come back? Darling, Darling, Wendy grips the viewers’ attention and makes us want to know what happens next. The filmmakers also do a great job of bringing something new to the familiar, while also giving it a very dark twist. One thing that caught my eye as being a bit odd was how a drug bottle was labeled. While this short film takes place in a different time, to my knowledge the drug shouldn’t have been labeled that way even back then. It may be a minor detail, but in a 13 minute short it stands out.

Darling, Darling, Wendy is filled with enjoyable performances. The small cast all perform well, but there are two particular performances that stand out. The first memorable performance is from the short film’s writer, Katherine Sainte Marie (Diaries From Wonderland), as Wendy. The Mexican-American actress does a fair job of portraying an English woman from a different time. There is a properness about Wendy that Marie conveys quite well, but there is also an underlying mania and obsession that constantly threatens to break through. The other memorable performance comes from Ty Shelton (First Kill) as Peter Pan. Since Peter is perpetually young, he has a childlike lack of filter when speaking to others that allows him to speak whatever truth he wants. He also has a wisdom from living many lifetimes, and this allows him to see the truth others might not. Shelton does a great job of maintaining that balance in his performance.

The visuals of Darling, Darling, Wendy are a bit of a mixed bag. The set and costume designs are the clear highlights. These aspects work quite well to transport the viewers to a different place and time. The visuals made the short film feel like something from Masterpiece Theater. At the end of the short the filmmakers utilize a bit of CGI or greenscreen effects. It is just a quick little scene at the climax, but it ends up looking a bit cheap like something out of a children’s TV show. While there are obviously financial constraints to work around when making a short film, these effects simply don’t come across as in keeping with the overall look and feel of the rest of the short film.

Darling, Darling, Wendy brings something new and dark to the fairy tale we all know and love. The filmmakers do a great job of creating a believable follow up telling viewers what happened to Wendy after she returned from Neverland. The plot is helped by strong performances and a great gradual reveal of surprises. There are some small missteps, such as the effects at the climax of the film, but it is still a compelling watch. Viewers who enjoy dark twists on classic stories will enjoy this short film.

OVERALL RATING: 3/5