Alice in Wonderland (B+ or 3.5/4 stars)
Tim Burton's 'Alice in Wonderland' borrows from the Lewis Carroll versions of Alice in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass, & creates its own sort-of sequel; set 13 yrs. after Alice's last childhood adventure. No longer a sweet 6 yr. old girl, Alice (Mia Wasikowska), at age 19, is a bored, listless young woman who's been recently plagued with strange dreams of her past, & is about to be engaged to a homely man whom she couldn't care less about. When she follows the White Rabbit (voiced by Michael Sheen) back down the rabbit hole & into Wonderland, it's a chance - not just to visit this strange new dream world - but to escape her stifling Victorian expectations (act as a proper, non-thinking female entity), as well.
In Wonderland (now referred to as Underland by its inhabitants), she is greeted with interest by an array of familiar faces. They include Tweedledee & Tweedledum (Matt Lucas), the singing flowers, the Blue Caterpillar (voiced by Alan Rickman), the Cheshire Cat (voiced by Stephen Fry), the Dormouse, & the March Hare. They're intrigued by her return since it is written that she will be the champion of the White Queen (a mercurial Anne Hathaway) in a battle against her evil, big-headed sister, the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter); a woman who thinks nothing of beheadings ... even her last husband! To win this battle, Alice must find the Vorpal Blade, & kill the Red Queen's Jabberwock dragon (voiced by Christopher Lee). In other words, it is her destiny to end the Red Queen's reign of terror. Problem is, not only does Alice not want to fight anyone ... she's perplexed that all these people seem to know her already; but she can't recall them. However, after befriending the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), she sees this magical Underland in a new light; & her desire to get back to the real world is kindled.
Tim Burton has said, "I want to make a movie of Alice that's more of a story than just a series of weird events". This Alice has a purpose. But the main problem I have with this version is that while there IS a story here ... it just isn't amazing; serving to form a transparent adulthood allegory for Alice when she returns home from Wonderland. It's hard to be compelled by a story we've - more or less - read & seen before. So rather than being compelled, I focused on the next cool character to encounter, or the next great visual to marvel at. The special effects are very effective; coming across in a suitably hyper-realized way. The cinematography, production designs, costumes, & make-up are spectacular. 2D, 3D, IMAX ... it's great no matter which way you see it. And I foresee this film being nominated for Oscars in several technical categories 9-10 months from now; especially the costumes ... more incredible than anything I saw in 2009.
I also enjoyed the zany performances. The only person who's laughably bad is Crispin Glover as the Knave of Hearts. But at least I was laughing at his failure, haha. Mia Wasikowska makes for an appealing, sturdy Alice. You know ... meek, but oddly courageous behind it all. Johnny Depp hams it up as the eccentric Hatter; lending a degree of vulnerability to the character, as well. I enjoyed his over-the-topness. I liked Frances de la Tour's cooky, pitiable Aunt Imogene. I LOVED the March Hare and how unbelievably neurotic he was. Anne Hathaway oozes regality as the White Queen, but she also offers up some quirks (like her random propensity for getting queazy). And, for me, best in show was Helena Bonham Carter's Red Queen. No other actress could nail the strange, frenetic, mad malice that Carter does. She's deliciously evil; and funny, as well. I loved a scene where she berates a line of frogs for one of them having eaten her fruit tart.
Tim Burton's 'Alice in Wonderland' isn't quite what I imagined in my head. Due to Disney producing it, this version isn't dark, twisted or trippy enough to be considered truly Burton-esque, nor is it cheery enough to please the kiddies (especially in a sequence where Alice crosses a moat by stepping - not on lily pads - but severed heads from the Queen's 'ceremonies'). That said, though it isn't a Burton masterpiece ... I still enjoyed the film for its surreal whimsy & macabre tone. The story is a fantastical mishmash: part adaptation/part sequel. The performances are fun. The visuals are scrumptious. And the rambunctious, THOROUGHLY pleased theater I witnessed it in went a long way in bettering my opinion. These kids/teens/parents ATE the movie up. Never before had I heard such a deafening, thunderous reaction in a theater after a movie had ended (had to hold my ears).
In Wonderland (now referred to as Underland by its inhabitants), she is greeted with interest by an array of familiar faces. They include Tweedledee & Tweedledum (Matt Lucas), the singing flowers, the Blue Caterpillar (voiced by Alan Rickman), the Cheshire Cat (voiced by Stephen Fry), the Dormouse, & the March Hare. They're intrigued by her return since it is written that she will be the champion of the White Queen (a mercurial Anne Hathaway) in a battle against her evil, big-headed sister, the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter); a woman who thinks nothing of beheadings ... even her last husband! To win this battle, Alice must find the Vorpal Blade, & kill the Red Queen's Jabberwock dragon (voiced by Christopher Lee). In other words, it is her destiny to end the Red Queen's reign of terror. Problem is, not only does Alice not want to fight anyone ... she's perplexed that all these people seem to know her already; but she can't recall them. However, after befriending the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), she sees this magical Underland in a new light; & her desire to get back to the real world is kindled.
Tim Burton has said, "I want to make a movie of Alice that's more of a story than just a series of weird events". This Alice has a purpose. But the main problem I have with this version is that while there IS a story here ... it just isn't amazing; serving to form a transparent adulthood allegory for Alice when she returns home from Wonderland. It's hard to be compelled by a story we've - more or less - read & seen before. So rather than being compelled, I focused on the next cool character to encounter, or the next great visual to marvel at. The special effects are very effective; coming across in a suitably hyper-realized way. The cinematography, production designs, costumes, & make-up are spectacular. 2D, 3D, IMAX ... it's great no matter which way you see it. And I foresee this film being nominated for Oscars in several technical categories 9-10 months from now; especially the costumes ... more incredible than anything I saw in 2009.
I also enjoyed the zany performances. The only person who's laughably bad is Crispin Glover as the Knave of Hearts. But at least I was laughing at his failure, haha. Mia Wasikowska makes for an appealing, sturdy Alice. You know ... meek, but oddly courageous behind it all. Johnny Depp hams it up as the eccentric Hatter; lending a degree of vulnerability to the character, as well. I enjoyed his over-the-topness. I liked Frances de la Tour's cooky, pitiable Aunt Imogene. I LOVED the March Hare and how unbelievably neurotic he was. Anne Hathaway oozes regality as the White Queen, but she also offers up some quirks (like her random propensity for getting queazy). And, for me, best in show was Helena Bonham Carter's Red Queen. No other actress could nail the strange, frenetic, mad malice that Carter does. She's deliciously evil; and funny, as well. I loved a scene where she berates a line of frogs for one of them having eaten her fruit tart.
Tim Burton's 'Alice in Wonderland' isn't quite what I imagined in my head. Due to Disney producing it, this version isn't dark, twisted or trippy enough to be considered truly Burton-esque, nor is it cheery enough to please the kiddies (especially in a sequence where Alice crosses a moat by stepping - not on lily pads - but severed heads from the Queen's 'ceremonies'). That said, though it isn't a Burton masterpiece ... I still enjoyed the film for its surreal whimsy & macabre tone. The story is a fantastical mishmash: part adaptation/part sequel. The performances are fun. The visuals are scrumptious. And the rambunctious, THOROUGHLY pleased theater I witnessed it in went a long way in bettering my opinion. These kids/teens/parents ATE the movie up. Never before had I heard such a deafening, thunderous reaction in a theater after a movie had ended (had to hold my ears).