Movie Review: “Alice in Wonderland”

Seen on: March 2, 2010

The players: Director: Tim Burton, Writer: Linda Woolverton, Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Matt Lucas, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Sheen

Facts of interest: None.

The plot: Tim Burton offers a new take on the classic story about a girl finding her way to a magical land ruled by eccentric characters.

Our thoughts: Alice puts on a big armor and gears up to slay a ruthless dragon in Tim Burton’s new take on “Alice in Wonderland,” and while this 3D version boasts a horde of visually stunning sequences filled with energetic characters, it’s the simplistic story that prevents this one from being crowned a tour de force.

Mia Wasikowska delivers a superb performance as the young Alice, who gets sucked into a childhood dream when she enters a magical world ruled by the evil Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter), an unpleasant tyrant with a giant head who brought nothing but terror and sorrow to a once whimsical world.

When Alice encounters the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) and a bunch of his eccentric pals, she quickly realizes that they have been waiting for her, hoping that she would be the one to fulfill a prophecy and do what is necessary to end the reign of the Red Queen and return the stolen crown to the beloved White Queen (Anne Hathaway).

While I appreciate Burton putting his own spin on the story of “Alice,” I am sad to say that the script failed to live up to my expectations. It’s not that the new “Alice in Wonderland” is necessarily a boring experience, but the storyline lacks compelling material. A little suspense or a twist here and there would’ve helped out a lot, but no luck there.

Even though the core of the film lacks depth and we don’t see the characters develop in a thrilling enough fashion, the film still packs enough punch to enchant a younger audience. It may be a tad too dark at times for the very young spectators, but kids of a certain age may indeed appreciate the film’s childish feel and light humor.

It’s always fun to watch Johnny Depp play a silly man, and I admit he’s as brilliant as ever in the role of the Mad Hatter. Sure, he’s not the central figure, but Burton made sure he gets enough onscreen time. Needless to say, everything’s amusing when he shows up, and that helps the movie progress without dragging all too much.

Let me touch on the style of “Alice in Wonderland.” In 3D, it all looks gorgeous, for sure. The CGI creations look just fine, and Burton really used this technology to his advantage. I really enjoyed stepping into this colorful world he created, and the visuals help overshadow the movie’s problematic, banal story.  

I enjoyed watching Mia Wasikowska as well. Most of this film was shot in front of green screens, but Mia still managed to deliver an authentic performance that is even at times a tad emotional. A more intriguing depiction of her character would’ve given her more opportunities to shine, but for a first major role, this ain’t a bad job.

Freaky quote: "I need a pig here!" - Helena Bonham Carter, with a huge head

The final word: Some folks will love this new take on a classic, and other will hate it. As far as I’m concerned, I fell in love with the film’s visual style but left the theater disappointed by the storyline. I so wished Burton would take me on an unforgettable ride, but at times, his “Alice” feels a bit too cold and dry.

Article by Franck Tabouring

Comments

[Felix]

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[Franck Tabouring]

Yeah, I hate them as well.