Alice in Underland

Title: Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Director: Tim Burton

Writer: Linda Woolverton (screenplay); Lewis Carrol (books)

Cast: Johnny Depp (Mad Hatter); Mia Wasikowska (Alice); Helena Bonham Carter (Red Queen); Anne Hathaway (White Queen); additional voices provided by Stephan fry, Alan Rickman and Michael Sheen

The Tim Burton adaptation of Alice in Wonderland was announced by Walt Disney Pictures way back in 2008, and has been one of the most anticipated films of 2010. Everyone should be familiar with Tim Burton and his characteristically wild imagination that has had viewers on the edge of their seats since Beetlejuice hit the screens in 1988.

The film is set twelve years after the Lewis Carroll story ends. Alice is nearing twenty and is about to be proposed to by a young Lord. At her engagement party, Alice gets distracted by a white rabbit in a waistcoat and after following it, stumbles down a hole and falls into Tim Burton’s braingasm.

Upon her landing we arrive at the famous ‘eat me’, ‘drink me’ scene from the original Disney film. (suggestive? . . I kinda like a woman in a dress eight sizes too big) Here, Alice has to figure out how to get a key off a table and get through a tiny door so that she can continue on her journey. (Higher grade? I think not. Although this does take her a while). Once Alice enters Tim Burton’s fantastic world the viewer finds it so much more than the confusing drug induced stupor we imagined Lewis Carrol’s Wonderland to be. Underland, as it is formally known (and wrongly mispronounced by nine year old Alice during her first visit), is a world divided by the followers of the White Queen (the good guys), and the Red Queen (the Baddies). We become aware that the Red Queen laid waste to the land, stole the crown, and rules with an iron rod (or huge head). The Jabberwocky is the Red Queens trump card which she uses to demonstrate her authority and instil fear in the people. The story foretells of a prophecy that Alice is destined to fulfil. The prophecy tells that Alice is destined to slay the Jabberwocky, and free all the creatures in Underworld form the evil reign of the Red Queen and her large bulbous head (in an epic Naria-esque type battle).

The journey that Alice takes seems to mark her coming of age. Once she comes to terms with the reality of the situation she finds herself in, she overcomes the challenges presented to her, and emerges more mature and self-assured. The obvious moral of her personal journey for the viewer is stay true to oneself.

Johnny Depp’s character, the Mad Hatter, has become the face of the marketing campaign for the film. I was disappointed with the character. I don’t believe Johnny fully grasped the personality of the character. The Hatter is a mixture of Willy Wonka and Jack Sparrow (he changes accents several times). He is a ginger, with too much makeup; I think Johnny could have done a better job. There are several moments throughout the movie where he looks as though he wants to take his relationship with Alice to the next level. I don’t know if that was part of his character development, or just Johnny being a weirdo.

Highlights of the film: The March Hare was by far the best character. A member of the Mad Tea Party, he’s like a withdrawing meth addict with a major speech impediment, i.e. really funny; The Tweedles (played by Matt Lucas of Little Britain) are two short round kids who share a look of vague confusion on their faces, and who take completely opposite views to one another (the Red Queen employs them for entertainment. I would too). The animation is outstanding and the world truly reflects the mad genius of Carroll’s abandonment issues. During a fight scene, a mouse pokes out the eye of a huge monster dog and then carries it around as a talisman for the rest of the film. 3D kicks ass! Every time.

Lowlights of the film: Anne Hathaway just bums you out whenever she walks on to the set; Johnny Depp as a Ginger; Johnny Depp’s victory dance at the end which distracts you form the nature of the scene is a huge anti-climax; The Disney theme song which plays during the credits reminds you that people like Hanna Montana and the Jonas Brothers are always there in the music industry, draining the very life out of it.

Because it’s Tim Burton having a field day with Walt Disney money I give it an eight.