Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland (2010)
Directed by Tim Burton
Length:108 minutes
Rated PG for fantasy action/violence involving scary images and situations, and for a smoking caterpillar



Rated PG for a smoking caterpillar...pretty sure that sums up what you can expect from Tim Burton's interpretation of Lewis Carroll's classic Alice in Wonderland. Famous for his dark, twisted, and typically drab films, Burton has slightly strayed from his typical M.O., key word being slightly. This is definitely not the same Alice that Disney released in 1951. With a grown-up protagonist, a charred wasteland known as Underland (Carroll's name of the fictional world Alice finds at the bottom of the rabbit hole), and an "epic" battle between the dreaded jabberwocky, Burton has delivered a relatively enjoyable experience, albeit a flawed film that cannot overcome its shortcomings.

Departing from the traditional renditions, Burton has blended both of Carroll's works, Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, with a bit of artistic licensing to create a new story from the one we all grew up knowing. This go around, Alice is a 19-year old girl; an odd young girl running away from what is expected of her by society. All the initial elements are there: the white rabbit in a waste coat with a pocket watch, the rabbit hole, the shrinking potion, the growing cake, so on and so on (cue "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane at any moment). However, as soon as Alice steps through the door into Underland, the story takes a decidedly different and darker tone. The "prophecy" has predicted Alice's return with the goal of slaying the deadly jabberwocky - a fire-breathing dragon that has destroyed the land and ensured the reign of the literal big-headed and shrill Red Queen, Burton squeeze Helen Bonham Carter (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, The King's Speech).

Perhaps the most essential element of the film is the casting of Alice, portrayed by Mia Wasikowska (In Treatment, The Kids Are All Right), a performance best summarized by the Red Queen's favorite line: "Off with their head!" Wasikowska's performance is quite listless, leaving you clamoring for just one inkling of emotion, excitement, sadness...something! Of course, everyone really just wants to know about Johnny Depp (The Rum Diary, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) and his much-anticipated role as the Mad Hatter. While Depp certainly does not suffer from the same problems that plague Wasikowska's performance, Depp could not be consider at the top of his game. Though the Mad Hatter is certainly one of the better characters, his accent (a mix of gap-teethed whistling and an angry Scottish lunatic) can be very difficult to understand at times. Minor gripes aside, the scenes involving the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter are certainly some of the best.

Where the story and acting may be lacking in excitement or unpredictability, the visuals are very nice to look at. Filmed in 2-D then converted to 3-D, you can really tell the difference between this and say Avatar. The highest grossing film of all-time was shot entirely in 3-D, eliminating the campy elements that often are associated with the third dimension (i.e. a spear coming at you, etc.); instead, Avatar and its incredibly beautiful cinematography added depth, texture, and believability to its luscious forest world. In the case of Alice in Wonderland, it relies more on the stereotypical elements. While it is still a pretty film to look at, and the 3-D certainly adds to the experience, it cannot compare to the true standard-bearer that recently changed cinematography for all movies attempting the third dimension.

So where does this leave us? Enjoyable? Certainly! This is a fun movie, overall, filled with a few good chuckles/laughs, pretty visuals, and one awesome dance move (just you wait till you vigorously futterwagon all night long). But is this an instant classic that clamors for repeat viewings, cult classic status, or even warrant the typical Burton legion of fandom love? No! Alice in Wonderland is a flawed movie that the more serious film-goer may not be able to overlook. But for a casual, fun night out, it's certainly worth the exorbitant price you'll pay for the 3-D.

Final Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote:
Mad-Hatter: "I shall futterwagon quite vigorously!"

Oscar Winners
Best Achievement in Art Direction
Best Achievement in Costume Design

Oscar Nominations:
Best Achievement in Visual Effects