Rating of
3/4
I Chortled in my Joy
Chris Kavan - wrote on 03/07/10
If you're familiar with Tim Burton's body of work, then it will come as no surprise that Alice in Wonderland is a visual treat. Even though this is rated PG, like much of Burton's work it has a darker undertone than one would expect but is full of whimsy as well.
Unlike many Wonderland adaptations, this takes place in the future with an adult Alice. No longer full of wonder - this Alice is a bit more headstrong. Mia Wasikowska has the look down. She only looks delicate and fragile - but don't judge a book by its cover - she's one tough cookie.
Then you have the two big guns: Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter and Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen. Although I was put off a little by Depp's accent - his Hatter character is perfectly crafted. Carter looks like she's having a great time bellowing out orders and calling for heads to roll at a moment's notice. Anne Hathaway is the White Queen - who has a great time looking prim and proper, but I love it when she drops the act and turns normal.
Other big names are there in voice only: Alan Rickman as the Blue Caterpillar, Stephen Fry as the grinning Cheshire Cat, Martin Sheen as the White Rabbit and Timothy Spall as faithful hound Bayard. If there's any one fault to these characters, it is that none are given enough screen time. Sure, this is Alice's story, but the non-human character look and sound so good, I was hoping for more of them.
People expecting this to follow the original story will be sorely disappointed. This is not the Wonderland of childhood memory. I wasn't bothered by this in the least, though. I'm sure Burton could have done a straight-up adaption, but I much prefer this different take on the original story. Plus the Jabberwocky poem is a personal favorite, so it was nice to see things like Bandersnatch, Jubjub Bird and Frabjous Day all come into play.
I think Burton fans will appreciate this new tale. While I won't quite put this on the same tier as some of his other films, this is still a fun adventure that is worth taking.
