Cheshire Cat: “What do you call yourself?”
Alice Kingsley: “Alice.”
Cheshire Cat: “**The** Alice?”
Alice Kingsley: “There’s been some debate about that.”
Cheshire Cat: “I never get involved in politics.”
I think Tim Burton is one of the most cutting edge, brilliant, directors of our time. This is no less evident than in his latest offering, the retelling of the classic, Alice in Wonderland.
Although classified as “Children’s” genre, this film still has enough tooth to satisfy Adults while staying exciting and uncomplicated for the Kids. The Movie stars Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham-Carter, and Crispin Glover with fabulous voice performances by Alan Rickman, as the Caterpillar, Michael Sheen, as the White Rabbit, and Stephen Fry, as the Cheshire Cat. I was also pleasantly surprised when I found out Christopher Lee voiced the Jabberwocky.
Wasikowska (as older Alice), Depp (as the Mad Hatter) and Bonham-Carter (as the Red Queen), light up the screen along with the always stunning Hathaway (as the White Queen), and Glover (as the maniacal Stayne), henchman for the Red Queen. This All-Star cast is absolutely stellar on screen in this twisted retelling of the original Classic.
We first meet young Alice, troubled by a recurring dream, discussing with her father the probability that she has gone completely bonkers. Her Father jokingly and lovingly reassures her that, yes she is bonkers, but so are many other great people.
Fast forward about a dozen years, we meet up with a nineteen year old Alice traveling with her Mother to an engagement party, which unbeknown to Alice, is her own. Her father has since passed and his business taken over by family friends, the Ascots, who’s son Hamish intends on asking Alice for her hand in marriage. Utterly confused Alice is forced to mingle and while doing so spies the White Rabbit, which only she sees. Confounded by the flurry of events taking place, Alice suddenly leaves Hamish at the Gazebo, where he has just proposed, and takes flight in pursuit of the rabbit.
At this point the film admittedly becomes predictable when Alice falls down the rabbit hole. Alice finds herself in a room which she must use a combination of potions and a key to shrink and grow so that she can exit. However, upon her exit she is greeted by Nivens McTwisp,(the white rabbit), Mallymkun,(the Dormouse), Uilleaum,(the Dodo), and Tweedledee and Tweedledum who immediately question whether she is the “right Alice”. Here is where the story turns and a new adventure begins!
Alice is taken to Absolem, (the Caterpillar), who consults the Oraculum, (an animated scroll like calendar depicting daily events in Underland), and determines she is most definitely not the “right Alice”. He also reveals that a hero named Alice will defeat the Red Queen’s Jabberwocky, restoring peace to Underland. At this point the story rapidly unfolds as Alice is forced to hide her identity from the Red Queen and her minions while trying to understand why she can’t wake from this dream and decide if she is in fact the “right Alice” who is to defeat the Jabberwocky and return peace to Underland.
To me this is where Tim Burton and screenwriter Linda Wolverton have brilliantly transformed the original classic into a tale where you feel more of a connection with the characters emotionally and their relationship with Alice. In the original Wonderland story Alice’s adventures seem to be a bit more random and fragmented where, in this tale, Burton manages to connect the dots making for a more cohesive story.
I am not sure what movie some of these self indulgent critics went to see, but, I personally found this film to be a marvelous adaptation for the screen and visually amazing. Total eye candy with all the signature Burton-isms we’ve all grown to love. Tie it all together with an amazing score penned by Danny Elfman, long time collaborator with Burton, and you have a delightful, adventurous, fantasy for all ages. I agree that it is predictable, but it’s a kids movie too, so lighten up and unbutton the collar! This movie is just plain fun!
One note of interest, I saw this in 3D with my wife and nine year old daughter and, although we unequivocally enjoyed the film, we all agreed that it did not add enough to the film to warrant the extra cost of the ticket.