Alice (Mia Wasikowska – Defiance) is nearing marriage age and as such, her social standing demands that she gets married sooner rather than later. Hamish (Leo Bill) is ready to take her hand in wedlock but Alice doesn’t want her life mapped out for her. She is more interested in fantastical worlds of wonder and likes to daydream about all sorts of oddball things – including a White Rabbit that seems to be following her. On the eve of her engagement Alice decides to escape for a moment’s peace and decides to follow the White Rabbit who leads her to a hole in the ground. Alice slips and falls deep into the rabbit hole and awakens in a magical place called Underland. This is a land full of intrigue and danger but Alice can’t shake the feeling that she has been here before. So begins her magical journey to help the people of Underland to break free from the rule of the wicked Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter – Corpse Bride).
This re-imagining of Alice In Wonderland is a fresh idea that takes elements of both Alice books (Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass) to create a unique story in its own right. I’m in two minds as to whether this was the right way to go. Whilst I applaud the task of creating something new for audiences to experience I also feel the end product doesn’t do enough to be classed as a success. In fact, the film is quite formulaic and predictable and this comes as a huge disappointment.
Mia Wasikowska does really well as Alice. She gives the role the right mix of child-like wonder coupled with an unparalleled passion for adventure. Anne Hathaway plays the White Queen with a nice hint of vacant disposition but Helena Bonham Carter really excels as the Red Queen – it’s a performance as big as her characters head. The voice talents of national treasures Barbara Windsor, Stephen Fry and Michael Sheen are also well utilised.
The best performance in Alice In Wonderland belongs to Johnny Depp though. I was quite concerned that Depp would just play the Mad Hatter as a hybrid of Willy Wonka and Jack Sparrow. Thankfully he manages to completely change the dynamic of the character – this Hatter is a tortured soul who is fully aware of his madness and of his uncertain place in Wonderland. Yet his madness is his biggest strength as he manages to foresee a brighter future with Alice’s help, a future that may give The Hatter a happier life. It’s a performance of incredible depth and definitely the best representation of the Hatter I’ve seen to date.
The movie looks sumptuous thanks to the marvels of 3-D and the complex brilliance of Tim Burton’s mind. He was definitely the best man to bring this amazing vision to life. The sets are nothing short of breath-taking and the depth and colour palette of Wonderland seems to be limitless. The first time Alice steps into this magical world we are right there with her, it’s a fantastical experience and one that you really need to witness in 3-D. Yet again, visionary director Tim Burton delivers a wonderfully immersive and textured viewing experience.
It’s visually stunning and Depp is on magical form but even that can’t mask the fact that this story is quite weak. Whilst the good does outweigh the bad, Alice In Wonderland should have fundamentally been a story as deep as a rabbit hole; something enchanting that we could really get our teeth into whilst taking us on a real adventure. Instead, this amalgamation of the two books feels like an afterthought and because of its simplicity, you can’t help but feel a little underwhelmed when it’s all said and done.
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