Burton's Alice ventures into dark territory
The highly anticipated Alice in Wonderland, the latest Tim Burton production based on the children's classic, delivers the magnitude of spectacle one would expect from a director who has cultivated a reputation for quirky retellings of well-known stories. In a startling departure from the book, however, unexpectedly dark themes ripple under bright, otherworldly colors and special effects in this re-imagining of the story - this romp through the looking glass seems like it's aimed more at adults than kids. But featuring a cast led by the eccentric Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter and backed with beautiful computer-generated imagery, Alice in Wonderland is still an enjoyably unique yet gloomy film.Though the movie gets its name and premise from Lewis Carroll's books Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and sequel Through the Looking Glass, here it follows a much older, teenage Alice (Amelia's Mia Wasikowska). After her father's death and a surprise marriage proposal, the 19-year-old revisits the Underland of her childhood. In the course of her adventures, Alice re-encounters the Mad Hatter (Public Enemies' Johnny Depp), the White Queen (Valentine's Day's Anne Hathaway), the Red Queen (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince's Helena Bonham Carter), the Cheshire Cat (House of Boys' Stephen Fry), twins Tweedledee and Tweedledum (both played by Astro Boy's Matt Lucas), the White Rabbit (New Moon's Michael Sheen), the Blue Caterpillar (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince's Alan Rickman) and many other fanciful forest creatures.
Most of Burton's movies have an instantly recognizable penchant for amusingly, even disturbingly, distorted characters and settings, and Alice in Wonderland fits right in. But in addition to the bright colors, Burton does not disappoint with his casting choices; he has amassed an impeccable array of talent to represent the fanciful Underland. 10
Following his similarly quirky roles in 2005's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and 2007's Sweeney Todd (both Burton films), Depp is the perfect actor to play the part of the Mad Hatter, and he manages to channel emotion and understanding into his performance, painting his unstable character in a surprisingly sympathetic light. Another Burton regular, Carter also impresses as the demanding, angry Red Queen (more traditionally known as the Queen of Hearts), who sports an oversized head and even larger temper tantrums.
Though Hathaway provides a decent portrayal of the White Queen - a monarch with a fetish for potions, stark white dresses and black fingernails - this is far from her best performance. The White Queen is supposed to be innocent and likeable, but Hathaway plays up her character's naiveté a bit too much, where it borders on unbelievable, even for Underland.
Alice seems to fall in line with other recent releases, like last fall's Where the Wild Things Are, that take children's books and imbues them with darker, more disturbing themes for their transition from book to screen. Though parents may feel comfortable with the film's PG rating, it contains a surprising amount of violence for a children's film. During a scene in which Alice fights a dragon, she decapitates the dragon with her sword and the playing card knights engage in one-on-one combat while the Mad Hatter risks his life to save Alice. It all adds up to a sequence that would likely disturb many children.
The 3-D effects further intensify these sequences and the somberness of the film, and while these effects make the film a standout among other recent releases, they also render Alice in Wonderland almost too dark to be enjoyable.
However, even though certain sequences may be too intense for some viewers and detract from their enjoyment of the film, Alice in Wonderland's special effects and animation are fantastic. The CGI captures every minute detail perfectly, from the Blue Caterpillar's fine hairs to the bright colors at the Mad Hatter's tea party.
Complementing Burton's colorful, quirky visuals, Alice in Wonderland thrives on the bizarre. During Alice's journey to Underland, magic potions and the neurotic Mad Hatter keep the fast-paced plotline moving and the audience entertained. Though the film is nowhere near perfect, certain elements - most notably the special effects and strong cast - are. If for nothing else, see this film for Depp's madcap portrayal of the Mad Hatter and the movie's incredible visual quality.
To watch the trailer or read more about the film, visit adisney.go.com/disneypictures.
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