Alice in Wonderland (Tim Burton)

I may not think highly of this movie but nevertheless, it had to be made. When you have a story like “Alice in Wonderland” and a filmmaker like Tim Burton, it almost seems like the two were made for each other. “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is another example of a story that needed a Tim Burton version and the world was happy with that film. To see Burton’s adaptation of the Wonderland characters was enjoyable too but it seems like any Alice film always has the same problem: it just doesn’t have a story that captivates you. The original tale includes entertaining characters and incidents but not much of a narrative; it is episodic in nature. The book or movie always seems to conclude with Alice walking up. Nothing completely relatable happens when you watch someone’s wild dream because you are too distracted by the uncanny sights. The story is obviously different in this version because it acts like a sequel to the original tale but it still has this inherited glitch. The movie is decent because of the characters and acting but a story is what matters most to me and I just couldn’t feel anything extremely special when watching this show. I will admit that this is one of most important live action films from the Walt Disney Pictures.

Johnny Depp pleased me in this movie. It was almost like he combined Willy Wonka’s personality and mannerisms with the voice of Jack Sparrow. I was afraid that the Mad Hatter would not be a distinctive character with Johnny Depp in the role but I was proven wrong for the most part. The actor's eyes have been slightly enlarged digitally and considering Burton's facination with the art of Margaret Keane, that is not a surprise. I am getting slightly tired though of Tim Burton always casting Depp. The same also goes with Burton always using his wife Helena Bonham Carter. I have no problem with her performance as the Red Queen but I do prefer her as the Queen Mother. Carter creates an intriguing villain in "Alice in Wonderland" and yet it is different than her character of Bellatrix Lestrange. Future Oscar-winner Anne Hathaway was a great choice because you wouldn’t think that she would be in a Tim Burton film. It is something inventive but her performance helps her fit right in. Other characters in the film like Tweedledum & Tweedledee, the Cheshire Cat and the March Hare were quite well created for this version.

As mentioned, this new story of Alice visiting Wonderland has a plot unlike the original story. In the original books, you could mix up the order of Alice’s experiences and it wouldn’t make a huge difference. The animated version from the 50’s only has a plot because Alice wants to catch up with the white rabbit and then wants to get home. Tim Burton’s film has Alice discover her identity during her adventure and I don’t mind this. I enjoy the reprised scene of Alice being looked upon by a large crowd as we approach the climax. Though the question being asked of her is different from before, it is the same inner conflict that Alice is struggling with. Alice it seems cannot escape to a place where she has no expectations from others. In the real world, she must choose her path for the future and she doesn’t know how to deal with the engagement that has been planned for her. Alice escapes to Wonderland and that doesn’t help things because there, she is destined to be a warrior and slay the Jabberwocky. In the real world, she feels she has no control because of others’ anticipations and in Wonderland, she again feels she has no control. Alice believes it is a dream and so she puts off accepting her destiny because she believes it won’t matter. Only when she understands the reality of everything in Wonderland does Alice rise to the occasion. Her time in Wonderland in turn helps her find direction in the real world. The majority of this story however includes characters and a setting from a tale that doesn’t have much of a storyline. Because they are designed by Carroll to be the center of attention in the story rather than Alice, you inherit some story problems.

When I saw the film, the 3D was cool but the movie didn’t need it. I have never been a huge fan of “Alice in Wonderland” and so I went to see this movie because I like Tim Burton, Johnny Depp and other contributors to this film. When it was nominated for Art Direction and Costume Design at the Oscars, I knew it would win both awards. My favorite part of the show was the Futterwachen sequence because it funny and yet mesmerizing. We should not overlook the impact this film had on the direction of the Disney studio. "Alice in Wonderland" was released in 2010 and when you compare the live actions films made in the first decade of the century with those in the following decade, there is an obvious trend. While "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and "Tron: Legacy" (both from 2010) fell short of expectations, "Alice" was a international smash hit. Disney therefore began remaking many more of its animated classics into live action versions. Some examples include "Maleficent", "Cinderella", "The Jungle Book" and "Beauty and the Beast". They even made a sequel: "Alice Through the Looking Glass". People should see "Alice in Wonderland" only because it is the perfect project for Tim Burton to undertake.

3 Stars