Alice in Wonderland: Review By Yahzee

This was easily one of the most awaited films of the year.

Just imagining the possibilities of a combination of Lewis Carroll's weird stories and crazy characters with the strange, dark and twisted mind of Tim Burton, one of the most original directors? Alice in Wonderland had everything to become a true Burton classic.

There are two ways to review Alice in Wonderland merits, the film that it could have been, and the film that came to be.

The film shortly shows us a little Alice who is having constant dreams about falling down a hole into a strange place. Her father kindly convinces her that those are only dreams and she can always wake up. Thirteen years later, Alice (Mia Wasiwoska) is still different from other girls. She doesn't want to wear a corse, nor dancing or be involved in traditional Victorian activities.

When she is proposed marriage by a loser lord, she runs without giving him an answer and follows a white rabbit until she accidentally falls inside a huge hole. After drinking the contents in a bottle appropriately labeled "Drink me" finds herself in Underland. She's actually brought back to it for the creature who live there, in hopes of finding the one who will fight the fearsome Jabberwocky and put an end to the evil Red Queen's (Helena Bonham Carter) rule over Underland.

But there's a problem. Alice doesn't remember this world at all, and soon more and more characters are certain that she's not the Alice who traveled there when she was little girl.

One of the few who remain confident of her identity is the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), who is behind the plot to give the throne back to the White Queen (Anne Hathaway). But after the Red Queen finds out that Alice is back in Underland sends her trusted Knave of Hearts (Crispin Glover) to find her and kill her.

Alice reluctance to slay any creature and accept she's the Alice everybody is talking about begins to change after she witnesses the trust the Hatter shows towards her, even risking his own life. After rescuing him from the Red Queen's castle and talking with Absolem the Caterpillar (Alan Rickman) she finally remembers and decides to follow her path.

A battle ensures between both queens armies while Alice fights the Jabberwocky (briefly voice by Christopher Lee).

The performances, specially from the unknown Mia Wasiwoska are truly well done. Alice is a sweet, yet different girl, who doesn't really fit with her surroundings. That's the classic Burton character, and I'm glad it's still there. And it's obvious that Helena Bonham Carter had a lot of fun as mean queen who's always shouting to cut people's head. The vocal performances are also nicely done. I think that Alan Rickman as the Caterpillar was the best here, and so was Christopher Lee brief voicing of the Jabberwocky.

This brings us to the Mad Hatter, the one who's been the center of the film's marketing. Johnny Depp is famous for bring to life unique characters. Sadly the Mad Hatter doesn't achieve the cult status. He surely is mad, like someone who's been stoned for too long and loses it, but I expected something more along the lines of Beetlejuice, but obviously toned down for this kind of film.

And that's the general problem with Alice in Wonderland. The movie takes no risks, or goes further into weird world. In the end is a regular fantasy film that plays by the rules and whose only trace of being a Tim Burton film is in the beautiful production design. The dark forest and costumes, and the general feel of the design are evidently his.

But sadly that's almost it. Apart from Alice being different than everyone else, there's not much else. The villains are regular villains, not the Burton kind, and the good guys are the same as in other movies. Alice's character could have made deeper, a troubled girl who suffers from crazy dreams. There's only a hint of that in the whole film.

Even Planet of the Apes, had the Burton feeling, even if it doesn't looked that way. This time it feels like Disney had the movie decided and locked up, and only brought Burton to give it his look and not much else.

Danny Elfman's score however fits this world totally, and the main theme, who's only heard completely in the end credits, after Avril Lavigne's commercial and unnecessary addition, promises of something different. It's not the score that could have been, but is the score this film needed.

Despite all of this cons Alice in Wonderland is not a bad film at all, it's just not what Tim Burton could have conjured up. It feels and moves too normal, too along the lines of a Disney movie. I for one, will wait for a really twisted version of this world when, and if a movie version is ever made, of American McGee's Alice.

For audiences not familiar with Tim Burton's unique style, Alice in Wonderland delivers a lot, a fun journey with strange characters in a totally different world. Burton fans however will find themselves cheated for the huge opportunity missed here.

P.S. And don't get me started on that Mad Hatter dance at the end.