Tim Burton's 'Alice in Wonderland'
What happens when a classical tale, 3D, and imagination combine? Magical success is what happens.
Alice in Wonderland(2010) is an entertaining depiction of a young girl trying to find her place in the world. Alice Kingsley (Mia Wasikowska), 19, attends a formal party hosted by the Ascot family. While missing her deceased father and struggling to conform to societal rules, she finds that it is actually her arranged engagement party she is attending. As the dull Hamish Ascot (Leo Bill) proposes, Alice runs off into the garden following a dressed rabbit. While looking for the strange rabbit near a tree trunk, she falls into a hole.
At the end of her fall, Alice lands in a strange room containing many locked doors, including a miniature door. As we watch Alice shrink back and forth from a tiny person to a giant, she experiments with magic potions eventually leading her through to enter the world of Underland. There she meets the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) and the rest of his crew, including an assortment of talking animals, some of which claim they lured wrong "Alice." Alice soon learns of the Red Queen's (Helena Bonham Carter) terrible reign over Underland. She also learns it is foretold that it will be the duty of "Alice" to embark on a journey to defeat the Red Queen and restore power back to her sister, the White Queen (Anne Hathaway).
As Alice struggles to regain her "muchness" and discovers a world that she has forgotten about, I found myself highly amused. The graphics were absolutely dazzling. Director Tim Burton's artistic and detailed canvas of Underland was a source of wonder to my eyes. As a detailed person, I found the visuals delightful. From The Hatter's wide green eyes and white eyelashes to the Red Queen's awkward head and appearance, this movie was an original sight for sore eyes.
Depp's performance in this film is, as usual, original and highly entertaining. Carter's role as the Red Queen is a perfect fit, providing both a sense of humor and danger to the film. It is also refreshing to see a more emotional connection among some of the characters in this film as compared to past interpretations of the novel. While some claim that the story line could have been more developed, I found it to be satisfyingly suitable. The film was lighthearted and goofy keeping things entertaining for a younger crowd, yet also combined a mix of other elements to make the film appealing to an older audience. As an older viewer, I would have liked to see more drama between the Red and White queens, however I believe the storyline is appropriate in order to keep the film's PG rating.
Needless to say, I strongly recommend this film. Overall, Alice in Wonderland is an interesting and inventive interpretation of a renowned fantasy story.
