Rated PG for fantasy action/violence involving scary images and situations, and for a smoking caterpillar.
108 Minutes
Directed By: Tim Burton
Written By: Linda Wolverton
Based On The Novel By: Lewis Caroll
Staring: Helena Bonham Carter, Johnny Depp, Alan Rickman, Mia Wasikowska, Anne Hathoway, Crispin Glover, Matt Lucas, Stephen Fry, Michael Sheen, Barbara Windsor, Paul Whitehouse, and Timothy Spall
You were much more… muchier. You’ve lost your muchiness. -The Mad Hatter
Review
Tim Burton’s “Alice In Wonderland” may not be what you expect. If you go in wanting the darkness, the violence, and originality, you may find yourself disappointed. Alice is rated “PG” and pushes the boundaries of that “PG”, but is clearly a film for the family. In spite of the fact that my expectations diverted from said initial hopes, I did thoroughly enjoy this film. There isn ’t anything ground breaking or overwhelmingly noteworthy about it, but Alice was a well told story, performed well, and very entertaining. This is easily a movie I could watch over and over again and enjoy more with time and that in itself is an huge compliment.
Sometimes simplicity says more, and I appreciated the fact that Burton actually restrained himself. He didn’t get carried away with creating his own world. He created his vision of what Wonderland would have been, and that happened to be both beautiful, dark, and mysterious. Where Burton truly succeeded was with this enigmatic and beautiful vision on Wonderland. It was a magical and wondrous place and filled with compelling characters played by very smart casting. Taking the narrative and continuing it, made it fresh and invigorating giving the old tale it’s homage, but giving us viewers something new to learn and enjoy without straying too far from the beaten path.
Alice found In Legoland!
As I stated before, this was definitely a family film, but it also contained some of Burton’s offbeat sense of humor, but it was conveyed very well. I was laughing regularly and so was my six year old son. The rest of the theater remained quiet and I couldn’t imagine why. If anything, I’m seeing a larger affection for it from the children’s audience and that makes sense. They aren’t going to care that Elfman ‘s score is far too resembling of other Burton flicks, nor would they care about the gimmicky way the 3D is incorporated. They just think it’s cool, and as far as those things go, they are better off for not caring.
As much as I don’t’ want to say it was one of the problems I had, Elfman’s score was far too much of a hybrid of other Tim Burton film scores. And some of the shots of the scenery felt reminiscent of other movies of his as well. What it did was take me away from Alice’s magical world and make me wonder about what other world I’d heard that tune or seen that tree in before, and was unfortunately an annoying distraction.
I really loved the characters, and enjoyed the performances which were lovely, and the visual appearances of their existences were extraordinary. Helena Bonham Carter was the true star for me as the insecure and maniacal Red Queen. She didn’t exactly ask for any pity, but her character wasn’t a one dimensional matriarch. I loved behind her penetrating eyes was the deep sense of hurt. Depp as the Mad Hatter was what we all expected he would be, insanely brilliant. He didn ‘t always steal the scene, but I felt like he was the “scarecrow” of the movie. The character who kept Alice grounded and the story as well, which is ironic considering he was MAD. Hathoway’s performance as the White Queen was awkward, but I think it was supposed to be. She was way over the top, and since HBC was so dark and loathsome I could see why Burton wanted the White Queen to be such a defined antithesis of her sister. The rest of the voice-overs and performers really added to the essence of the movie, which had exciting and complicated characters and really gave Alice it’s needed depth.
Once again I found myself felling like the 3D was unnecessary, even though it had a few moments of charm. From an adult perspective I could have done without, but from a kids, they were getting a kick out of it. So 3D for kid movies? I guess it makes sense for them, just not for me. I have a hard time thinking anything is going to compare to Avatar’s 3D and therefore I’m still convinced it’s an overrated gimmick. Maybe for kids movies this option has some appeal, but for my own experience I could have done without.
I thoroughly enjoyed Alice for what it was, a traditional straight forward tale told with some imagery that was pretty impressive and some really enchanting performances. The ending felt a little anti-climatic and I still walked out of the theater feeling very satisfied. It wasn’t everything I had imagined or even hoped, but it was something else all together good anyway. This will certainly find it’s way into my DVD collection and be a very well loved and watched movie over time.
Did you enjoy Alice In Wonderland? Rate it!
Well said!
I couldn’t agree with you more that a lot of people’s problems with the film come from expectations, and the fact that this is clearly a film geared for kids. This might have been directed by Tim Burton, but it certainly isn’t a “Tim Burton Film”…and that might not be such a bad thing…
I agree it’s not a bad thing. I’m ready for Burton to revert back to his own original concepts now, but I kinda dug his take on Alice. And if all else fails, it was a beautiful film with incredible art design.
It’s quite possible that it just wasn’t Burton-y enough for people. I enjoyed it and the thing that caught me eye the most was all the wacky sizes of the characters. Alice is small, big, small, normal. The Red Queen with her oversized head and Crispin Glover walking around on stilts the whole movie. It was such a weird thing to see but made the visuals more entertaining.
Crispin Glover was too awkward for me to be honest. He looked so uncomfortable and out of place I found him distracting, which was sad because he played his wicked part so well.
I think that’s what I liked about him. He didn’t fit in properly, much like all the other characters. It was all just so weird that I loved it!
Some of the oddity’s were distracting but I think it’ll just be more fun to watch it again and get more acquainted with all those details.
Without seeing this example, I agree the 3D is mostly just a gimmick, outside of Avatar of course.
But I’m afraid it is going to get shoved down our throats in an attempt to get an extra couple bucks for a movie ticket. The theaters all have infrastructure in place for 3D, and they want to use it. If the Jason and the Argonaughts move averages more viewers per screen in 3D than 2D, the movie studios are going to run with it and tack on 3D to every movie they can get away with.
Personally I’m more paranoid about ESPN’s planned 3D network, and what seems to be a commitment by them to force 3D into the living room. I can’t imagine the expereince will be that much better than HD, and I know I won’t want to wear the glasses at home unless they start making 3D laptops.
Do go see this Philly, but skip the 3D. Unless someone takes the time Cameron took it’s relatively pointless to me. But if you want to take one of my kids to see 3D the experience of just watching them is worth the price of the glasses.
I saw it last night and posted my review earlier looks like we had a few of the same ideas about the movie although you gave it a slightly higher rating than me.
It is interesting what Hatter says about expectations, I came to it having with really bad word of mouth and was pleasantly surprised. I will have to look back to see if her reviewed it.
You were a bit harsher than I was on it, but I still think we have similar points of view. I can’t see it getting smashed, if one didn’t love it, I understand, but it was a solidly entertaining movie and was worth seeing on the big screen. Simple, good fun. But then someone always has to be a party pooper.
See I wasn’t expecting a dark Alice in Wonderland, but I wanted to have a film that was more enjoyable. I didn’t enjoy this movie. I was annoyed with the screaming Red Queen, the spaced-out White Queen, the inconsistent Mad Hatter, the March Hare throwing everything.
I was disappointed with this movie.
What I actually enjoyed was the characters. I was pleasantly enamored by all their strangeness and awkwardness. Perhaps it’s just one loon to another but I completely related with their eccentric ways.
Actually, I didn’t love Johnny Depp’s take on the Mad Hatter. I get that the character is wacky and confused and whatnot, but it just didn’t work for me. I felt the real star of the film was Helena Bonham Carter because she gave the Red Queen such humanity, even empathy. Anne Hathaway was, I think, fairly wonderful in the way she gave the White Queen an almost manic, very dark energy.
The battle at the end, however, was a huge letdown for me — the CGI was so obvious and the whole scene just felt recycled and not the least big invigorating.
I see where you are going with the darkness of the White Queen, especially when she was in her lab. Also her lack of emoting about her sisters evil and Alice’s decision to face the Jabberwocky or not. It was subtle underneath all the dramatics, but you are right, it was present.
I actually think that maybe the movie was TOO Burton, but also TOO “generic fantasy epic”. I think you’re right, it probably is for a generation younger than our old and cranky selves, but part of me really wishes that Tim Burton would cleanse his pallet. Do something different – like Ed Wood or Mars Attacks! or even Batman again – that isn’t a film that could be described as “Burton-esque”.
I’m struck by the two giant directors who have projects released in the past few weeks and how the approaches differ. Burton produces a beloved fairytale in his own unique style, but Scorcese produces a psychological thriller that is distinct from anything on his filmography. I’m not going to declare one as better than the other – they are each quite polarising – but I think it’s interesting they should be released so close together.
I didn’t feel it was too Burton, but the moments that were clearly Burtonesque, i.e. the score and some of the visuals, definitely took away from the great good of the story.
I enjoyed the simplicity of telling the story. It’s classic and didn’t need a lot of vamping up to be interesting, but I do agree that I’d like to see Burton revert to something original and disturbing instead of these adaptations.
Great write-up (as always)! I personally didn’t enjoy it and I definitely agree that the 3D was unneccessary.
Hmmmm……….well I’m curious to read your review on it then!
And thank you!
Yeah it will be posted in a few days (been extremely with school lately).
I can’t wait to read it! I know what you mean about being busy, I can’t catch up to anything lately!
I was one of those people who was disappointed. I thought that the movie was kind of boring overall, and although I didn’t see it in 3-D, I agree with you about it most likely not going to be able to compare with Avatar. I also thought Anne Hathaway’s weird British accent was awkward. I keep meaning to post about this film. This will serve as a motivator.
Seeing as you mentioned the Burton/Elfman generic score, you might find this entertaining (and not be able to look at a Burton film the same way again):
http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1929453
I guess I’m too big of a fan of Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands to be impressed with anything that Tim Burton churns out today.
Mistress, someone else recently sent me that link as well. It’s pretty damn funny!
I didn’t really comment on Hathaway because at moments I found her awkwardness compelling, and put off at other moments. There was something oddly engaging about it. I think I’ll have to see it again before I can commit my feelings one way or another.
I enjoyed reading your post, though. Thanks! (Sorry, I forgot to say that above)