Movies in Review: "Alice in Wonderland" (2010)

March 5, 2010: Tim Burton's much anticipated version of "Alice in Wonderland" is released. A massive wave of criticism and hype ensues.

The original Wonderland story is about a young girl named Alice who follows a white rabbit down a hole and finds herself in a very strange world. Tim Burton's version, however, is a return to Wonderland, taking place many years after Alice's original visit to the mad world, a visit she does not remember and passes off as only a dream. Even upon her return she believes she is dreaming and many of the inhabitants who are counting on her believe she is "the wrong Alice". As the young woman moves through the world she takes charge of her own life, fulfilling her destiny in her own time and way. There are many critics who feel that Mr. Burton wasted the money he was given for the movie and that he wasn't true to the story. But the story being told in this movie happens AFTER the original two, coming at a point much later in Alice's life. The new Alice is at a point in her life where she must choose: conform to society and marry the young lord, or face an uncertain financial and social future by refusing his offer. Her return to Wonderland isn't only to help overthrow the Red Queen; it's also to remind her of who she is as an individual and to show her that she can stand up on her own and make a difference without following the plans everyone else has set out for her. It really is a compelling tale that teaches people (adults as well as children) to think outside the box and make decisions for themselves, instead of letting others wear them down into submission. Think how different her world would be if Alice had not followed the rabbit again.

The cast for this movie was quite amazing. As usual, Tim Burton chose Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, but the inclusion of other actors such as Anne Hathaway and Mia Wasikowska certainly made a difference. Hathaway's performance as the White Queen was wonderful, and she brought out the image and persona of her character with graceful success. Though Wasikowska's performance was true to the character of Alice, there still seemed to be something lacking. Mrs. Bonham definitely filled the role of the Red Queen well, bringing out her insecurities and the source of her tyrannical behaviour for the audience to acknowledge.

Depp's performance was most definitely satisfying. True to form, he took his character above and beyond the script and gave the audience more than what they were expecting. Burton's twist on the Mad Hatter brings so much more to the whole story and fills in many blanks concerning the Hatter himself. The original Alice story does have a reasoning behind why both the Hatter and Hare are the way they are, but this version gives the Hatter much more depth. The transition between personalities and the changing eye-colour is a wonderful touch for showing when he is his typical "mad" self that everyone is familiar with and when he is remembering himself and becoming truly mad about everything that has happened. Depp does a great job showing all sides of the Hatter.

The setting of Wonderland is rich in colour and contrast, revealing the parts of the world yet intact and the parts that have been ravaged by the Red Queen's rule. The costumes match the characters well, and the changes in Alice's costume reflect well her growth in the story, though her outfit while in the White Queen's court was a bit disappointing. After all of the other more eye-catching pieces it seemed rather plain and out of place amongst the others.

All-in-all, this was an amazing movie that built well on the the foundations of Lewis Carroll's tales. Tim Burton lived up to his reputation for compelling and unconventional movies with a cast that truly brought it all to life. It earns a 9.7 out of 10 for a very few minor discrepancies, but it's well-worth seeing on the big screen and viewers aren't likely to be disappointed.

As a side note, for those who don't know why the Mad Hatter and March Hare are known as such, here's a quick history insight. Back when the original story was being written, lead was still being used in top hats to help keep them stiff, but people were learning that it was causing lead-poisoning, which can lead to various forms of delirium and mental issues, so the Mad Hatter is mad in the sense of being insane, not angry. For the Hare, March is generally their time for procreation and they tend to be a bit crazy during this time. Hope you enjoyed these tidbits and if you have anything to add please do.