Come Away aims to reinvigorate familiar fantasies but gets bogged down in familial strife. Director Brenda Chapman’s (Brave) approach is ambitious. Based on the work of Lewis Carroll and J.M. Barrie, respectively, the film reveals that Alice (Keira Chansa) of Wonderland and Peter Pan (Jordan A. Nash) of Neverland are actually siblings. A sort of prequel to the characters’ iconic journeys, Come Away sees Alice and Peter attempt to save their parents Rose (Angelina Jolie) and Jack (David Oyelowo) from the grief of losing their eldest son David (Reece Yates). Things don’t go well as Rose begins to drink and Jack takes on dangerous debt. Even though these scenes of sadness fade into much merrymaking and visuals that bring the children’s vivid imaginations to life, the overall tone remains somber. While not a total deal-breaker, it’s a curious choice that has the potential to leave its intended audience dissatisfied.