ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Director: Tim Burton
Stars: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Crispin Glover
Year: 2010
Rating: PG

One thing you're guaranteed with a Tim Burton film is that, visually, it will be a stunner. No less can be said about Alice in Wonderland, and the look of the film is a real treat for the eye, whether seen in 3D or not. It's one of the best traits of the film, and even when the acting or story falls flat (which does happen, sadly), your visual sense will remain quite satisfied.

Mia Wasikowska turns in quite a good performance as Alice Kingsleigh, a young woman who, since her earliest memories, has dreamed of a land with wild characters like talking rabbits and grinning cats that can vanish ... and a rather nutty gentleman in a top hat. Now an adult of nineteen and attending a party with her mother that she soon learns is her engagement party (she's about to get a marriage proposal from a certified snob whom she's expected to accept), the world of her dreams is about to collide with reality when Alice spots a darting white rabbit - in a suit coat, no less! - on the periphery of the party, seemingly trying to get her attention.

She follows the creature, and finds the rabbit hole he's disappeared into ... which Alice summarily falls down, beginning her adventure into a wonderland, in which she will meet familiar friends from her dreams, wonder how she can get out of THIS dream - and learn of her fate: the she must fight the Jabberwocky and save Wonderland from the wicked Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter, in a brilliant, often very funny performance), restoring the kingdom back to the woman's sister, the White Queen (Anne Hathaway).

A slew of some of the UK's best character actors, including Matt Lucas (Tweedledee/Tweedledum), Stephen Fry (Cheshire Cat), Alan Rickman (Blue Caterpillar), Michael Sheen (White Rabbit) and Timothy Spall (Bayard) voice the CGI-animated inhabitants of Wonderland - all led by Johnny Depp as Mad Hatter, whose performance in the film at times seems both spot-on, and yet highly disjointed (something he was probably going for, playing a man who IS literally mad, but at times his work in this film is still very spotty in quality) - bring the beloved characters from the mind of Lewis Carroll to life quite vividly. Helena Bonham Carter has some terrific, very funny moments with Crispin Glover, who plays her head bodyguard and boyfriend Stayne in the film. And even Anne Hathaway, looks great here as the White Queen, though overall I found her performance very one-note and dull (and what was WITH that darker-than-blood lipstick?) - though the White Queen herself is, literally, not the most colorful of characters.

But overall, in both story and character, the film is lacking something. Visually, as said, it's a stunner - and I'm actually glad I did not see the film in 3D, as I think that would have distracted me from the film's overall look, as opposed to just keeping an eye out for those 3D moments. Mia Wasikowska does a wonderful job as Alice, the young girl who ends up having to pony up her bravery to save Wonderland - but I did find Johnny Depp a bit under-developed here as Mad Hatter, and at times even found the character slightly annoying ... though, when all is said and done, you do end up on his side. Not having been a huge fan of the original Carroll novels, I can't go by what other reviewers might say regarding the great leaps and bound director Tim Burton took in changing the story and adding characters for this film adaptation - though from everything I've read, he did indeed take several liberties, some of which fans didn't appreciate.

No, all I can go by is how I enjoyed the film, and to me Alice in Wonderland most definitely has its moments of visual awe, strong performances, and an action-filled ending that did leave me satisfied. I just can't say the journey getting there was as entirely satisfying, though the film is worth a viewing just for its look alone. Not exactly at the top of the list of Burton's best work, but certainly a film that works beautifully on some levels, even if it may come up short on others. *** - Reel Cool