Alice in wonderland

Director Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland has been one of the most anticipated films, by adults and children alike... though, I know a handful of kids who, after watching the previews, opted out of watching the film because it was ‘too scary’ for them. After watching this film with a movie theatre packed with kids aged from two years old to teen, I can tell you this is not a scary flick.

I am fond of Burton’s somewhat skewed take on the world, and the interpretation of it via his films. The pairing of Lewis Carroll’s story of Alice in Wonderland, and Tim Burton’s style works very well. The story is strange/weird, and Burton captures this in his creation.

This story is a hybrid of Carroll’s two books, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, which has been adapted into a screenplay by Linda Woolverton, for Disney... but, it’s far from a Disney sort of movie. You will certainly see plenty of talking animals throughout the film, but many of these are quite frightening.

We are introduced to Alice as a child – a bit of a scary looking child, with dark circles around her eyes – telling her father about a strange dream she had experienced (the fist Wonderland visit), and asking him if this meant that she had gone mad. Her father – depicted as a caring individual, who has wild and grand ideas and encourages his daughter to broaden her imagination – confirms to Alice that she is indeed bonkers, but that all great people have been known to be a little ‘crazy’, so she is in good company.
Fast-forward thirteen years into the future and, Alice is now a 19 year old young lady (Australian actress Mia Wasikowska) and is due to be engaged to a wealthy Lord, with whom the family has arranged the union, without asking Alice’s opinion on the matter.

Of course, Alice is not too keen to accept the young Lord’s marriage proposal – he is quite revolting - and to her good fortune she is saved just in the nick of time by a little white rabbit in a waistcoat, who keeps tapping on his pocket watch, as if to say “you are late”. Alice’s curiosity takes over, and she drops everything to follow the rabbit, and this leads her to fall down the rabbit hole, and into Wonderland, again... as she did 13 years ago... only her recollection of the first adventure is that of a dream, and she convinces herself that, surely she must be dreaming this time as well. After a few attempts to wake up (pinching herself) she sort of comes to grips with the fact that she IS in this very strange land and she is surrounded by very odd characters... some good and some are the embodiment of evil.

This being a Tim Burton film, I was not surprised to see Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter in the cast list. Helena is superb in the role of the evil Red Queen. Johnny is The Mad Hatter. I must admit that before this film, I always assumed that The Mad Hatter was simply a little whimsical, and somewhat kooky, but after watching Depp’s interpretation of his latest incarnation, I’ve come away with a vision of the Mad Hatter being an absolutely, and completely insane individual. I also found him to be a bit like the Willy Wonka character he played in the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, of course with a much more colour intense costume, and an occasional outburst of gibberish... conveying the message to the audience that he is indeed mad.

Alice in wonderland is a visually rich film. I appreciated very much all the detail which enriched my movie experience. The whimsical and bizarre costumes are amazing. The scenery is exceptional, but I do wish that the film was not as dark as it is. I did not mind it in past Burton films, but I felt that the lighting and makeup in this particular case, rendered all the actors – especially Mia Wasikowska – to look sickly tired and in desperate need of some sun. I know that during the Victorian era (time period the story was written in) women were thought to be beautiful, if their skin was fair and porcelain-like, but poor Alice is so pale that she looks like she will collapse any minute. Alas, though appearing severely anaemic Alice manages to become a hero in Wonderland, and saves the day. I feel that she proves to be a strong female role model, for all the little girls going to watch this movie.

Alice In Wonderland

IMAX Melbourne