Alice in Wonderland

Normally, I wouldn’t need to recap the plot of a film based on one of the most widely popular fairy tales of all time.  But like always, Tim Burton has truly made this rendition his own.

The movie begins with a young Alice wandering into her father’s business meeting, having had another strange dream.  Her father comforts her as she tells him of her reoccurring nightmares, featuring none other than a certain white rabbit in a magical land.  In the next scene, we follow adult Alice (Mia Wasikowska) as she reluctantly attends a fancy gathering where, much to her surprise, a buck-toothed ginger-haired Lord has planned an elaborate marriage proposal for her in front of hundreds of people.  Overcome by this unwanted arrangement, Alice runs off, following a rabbit who has caught her eye in the bushes. 

Commence: falling down a rabbit hole, landing in a strange fantastical world, and encountering the typical series of Wonderland staple characters.

As always, Helena Bonham Carter (the cruel Red Queen) and Johnny Depp (the quirky Mad Hatter) play their roles impeccably and disturbingly well.  Alan Rickman (Snape!) lends his unique voice to the advice-giving blue caterpillar, and beautiful Anne Hathaway portrays an exquisite kind-hearted White Queen.  Each character along the path of Alice’s mission in Wonderland (yes, she has a sort of quest in this version, as opposed to the more common random meandering) is colorfully executed in true Burton-esque style.

But I am sure this information comes as no surprise. Very few people expect anything less than greatness from Tim Burton as they enter the theatre to view one of his films (which I recommend you do, preferably in 3D, possibly in IMAX).

My only complaint falls upon the film’s subtle lack of beyond odd, disgusting, and unsettling imagery.  Sure, eyeballs are stabbed and pulled out, and of course heads are cut off – many of which Alice must use as stepping stones to venture across the Red Queen’s moat – but the overall gross-out factor seems low.

Luckily, Tim Burton’s creativity level prevails. Burton accomplished exactly what he hoped to with this creepy interpretation (and expansion) of Lewis Carroll’s infamous tale; he gave Alice and her mystical journey a back-story with grounded, humanistic appeal.  It was quite nice to see the imaginative young girl, whom we all know so well, finally find her purpose.