Alice in Woderland
Fleeing the responsibilities forced upon her by society Alice journeys back to Wonderland, where she is confronted by the apparitions she once thought only a dream. There is a prophecy, a mad queen and a Jabberwocky to slay, will Alice face her fears or will she lose her head?
What I Liked:
Alice isn't exactly a retelling of the classic children's tale by Lewis Carroll but it channels the imagery and surrealism of the original tale better than any other film I've seen. It's amazing how the work has spawned so many different variations of itself each one different, each one changed from the original, this tale being no exception. In this telling Alice is on her second trip to Wonderland, the first being when she was a little girl. Since her departure much has happened in Wonderland, most of it bad with the Red Queen taking power and lording the horrific Jabberwocky as a threat to all peace loving inhabitants. This change paints the characters in a different light, freedom fighters waiting for their Joan of Arc to reappear and lead them into the final climactic battle. This is the basic plot and the story doesn't diverge very much from the main tale leaving us with a simple straightforward story about Alice and her choice to accept what has been prophesied or to deny it all and hide. For the most part the story is fun and the characters lively and you spend your time intently rooting for Alice or marveling at the surroundings of Wonderland. Tim Burton and Lewis Carroll are a very good match as the original drawings (done by John Tenniel) translate well into Burton's usual twisted imagination and much of the poems and odd made-up words told in the book also make it into the script. Underland (as its called by the inhabitants) is a scared land thanks to the rule of the Queen, for every magical forest there is a burned out town, sets often show some form of decay or brokenness telling the audience that Underland is itself broken and something is not quiet right with it. This “not quite right” feeling extents to much of the secondary cast as well with many of the characters displaying some sort of mental imbalance. Alice is tossed into this mess and like the world she was fleeing from told what to do and the plot centers mostly around her coming to grips with who she is.
What I Didn't Like:
Much has been said about the look of the film and the changes to the story but these abut this is only skin deep. Much of the writing is strong but only because it incorporates what has come before it with Carroll's own poems. For the most part the writing is rather simple and predictable, while plot holes and weak motivations abound, Alice's choice at the end of the film is one such example of many. While the acting is usually pretty good it was a far cry from natural in many of the scenes with principle actors. I think this had to do mostly with the copious amounts of enhancement the actors went through both physically with makeup and digitally in post. Sure the effect of Helena Bonham Carters ginormous head or Johnny Depps wacky Mad Hatter are great to look at but odd moments, missed ques and bad sight lines are more prevalent than I would have liked and bring the illusion of this painstakingly created world crumbling down.
In Conclusion:
I really enjoyed my time in Wonderland, watching the familiar yet very different story play out was fun and marveling at Carroll's world brought to life by Burton was simply delightful. The characters rather than being happenstance meetings, as they are in the book, are given a narrative and many of the personalities expanded upon. The Hatter is a poignant and lonely character now, while still retaining his madness; the Red Queen is insecure, trying to find the right way to rule her subjects absolutely; while the Knave of Hearts just wants power, following the whims of his scared flesh. It is not a perfect presentation, marred by the same techniques that give it its unique look. It can be said that Tim Burrton's approach to green screen sessions needs some adjustment should he choose to shoot a second film using the technology. The visual spectacle is where Burton has always prevailed and this film is no different it is visually stunning and fun to watch. Alice is a simple story, one that is at times predictable and at other times a bit lazy but it never fails to entertain, which is exactly what it should do. Alice in Wonderland is a treat for the eyes and should prove to be an enjoyable experience for nearly everyone willing to see it.
