Rating of
0.5/4
Worst Lewis Carroll Adaptation
Unknown - wrote on 05/21/16
This remake/sequel live-action retread of Disney's own version of the 'Alice in Wonderland' series takes story elements from other various sources (namely 'Wizard of Oz') and makes a boring, confusing mess out of all of it. The appeal of the source material is that there was almost no plot and the themes of the story play out in many bizarre encounters that Alice has. She acted as a child in a child's fantasy and gained some enlightenment amidst the amusing chaos. In this incarnation, she's an adult stripped of any personality, traversing this make believe world without her trademark curiosity or wonder. She's a blank slate whom this ‘chosen one’ style plot has forced into a heroine position for it’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ inspired finale. It’s trite material. As far as the other characters go; the CG animals are cartoony nonsense, the White Queen is an unneeded yawn, the Red Queen is a little annoying, and the Mad Hatter is just another eccentric 'Johnny Depp caked in make up' persona. I didn't like anyone in this film. The visuals were also a major low point. Every second of this CG fest looks and feels like I’m watching people in front of a green screen. There’s nothing tangible, which made me un-engaged from the start. All of the bright colors have a saturated haze over them that slowly becomes more dark and ugly looking as the film progresses. Any artistic design is lost in the murkiness. I found this whole film to be a supreme disappointment, considering the imaginative talent of Tim Burton at the helm and the fact that I’m a fan of the ‘Alice in Wonderland’ lore. It’s cinematic crap in purest form.
