"Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream?" - Edgar Allen Poe
If anyone was to direct a new Alice in Wonderland movie, I could only imagine Tim Burton doing it. Alice in Wonderland, no matter how kid friendly Disney tried to make it, was a dark and disturbing story. It has always been screwed up, so much so that people are still debating as to whether or not the creator Lewis Carrol was writing during a bad acid trip. But only Tim Burton's gothic designs and grim storytelling could fit this story.
Now, I can't say there isn't a connection between this movie and Disney's movie. In the beginning, little Alice wakes from a dream and her father tucks her back into bed. She tells him all about a place called Wonderland and the things she saw there. Her father writes it off as a crazy dream and she agrees. We then go forward where Alice is nearing twenty years old, is more free spirited than ever, and is unfortunately arranged to be married with a total douche. She becomes flustered and follows a rabbit in a waist coat into a rabbit hole and tumbles down to Underland where the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) has taken over in a tyranical rule. Alice doesn't remember anything about the place and believes she is dreaming, meanwhile many of the denizens of Underland, mainly the deranged Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), have discovered a prophecy in which Alice slays the Red Queen's ultimate weapon, the monstrous Jabberwocky (Christopher Lee). So ensues another dangerous and extraordinary trek through the realm that Alice dubbed Wonderland.
There are a lot of elements to enjoy here. New touches and tweaks of story and character, crafted by Burton and his writer Linda Woolverton (writer of Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King). I like how the real world is done over in sort of a Jane Austin type fashion; if anyone was going to be an independant woman it'd probably be Alice, a girl who is annoyed with "being formal" and day dreams about flying and white roses painted red. Also the characters of Wonderland are probably stranger than ever. The crazy tea party folks are prime examples: The March Hare (Paul Whitehouse) seems like he's gone from sneaking meth into his tea to getting rid of the tea altogether; the Dormouse (Barbara Windsor) behaves like she has menopause; and The Mad Hatter's craziness seems downplayed by total depression over recent events. I guess being crazy in dark times isn't as much fun as being crazy in good times. Then Absolem/The Caterpiller (Alan Rickman), a pompous, cynical wiseman who thoughtfully looks back on the past in a way only Alan Rickman can do. My favorite character was The Chesire Cat (Stephen Fry). I always thought he was unsettling and had the look of a trickster before, but here he takes on this sort of neutral former hero. That element mixed with his charm made me think of him as a Rhett Butler type. I also loved The Red Queen, a woman of power who decapitates anyone who blinks at her wrong but fails to see why everyone doesn't love her. And the relationship between her and her wayward sister The White Queen (Anne Hathaway); it is subtle and not much happens, but we can tell their entire relationship just from the few things they say to each other. And Wonderland/Underland itself. It isn't Pandora or anything, but it is wild and amusing. A very colorful world where things don't quite add up and don't really need to. I was half-expecting to find Burton's version of Oompa-Loompa land somewhere in this world.
I especially enjoyed the acting. It isn't Oscar caliber or anything; just enjoyable. Johnny Depp performs splendidly as always. His portrayal of the Mad Hatter isn't as over the top and memorable as Jack Sparrow, Willy Wonka, or even Edward Scissorhands. But, I must admit, I think Depp joins Anthony Hopkins in the list of men who can make absolute psychopaths charming and lovable. Helena Bonham Carter, Burton's wife, is perfectly cast as the angry Red Queen, the CGI manipulation of her head not taking anything away from her performance. Anne Hathaway, though not having much to do, is a delightful White Queen. Her beauty mixed with the makeup, and the way she postures herself, she almost has the appearance of a serene statue. The performance I liked most of all however was Mia Wasikowska as Alice. She brings a lot of charisma and spirit to her role. Wasikowska, a first time lead if I'm not mistaken, shows herself to be a competent actress and a perfect pick for this role. Also, am I alone when I say she looks like a young Gweneth Paltrow? The voice work is terrific. A lot of big names dropped in for this, like Michael Sheen as the nervous White Rabbit; the force of true diabolical menace himself Christopher Lee as the main monster The Jabberwocky; and then of course the great Alan Rickman as The Caterpiller. Alan Rickman is known for his morose, miserable British manner in films, does the same thing here. I guess not even Wonder weed can make this guy happy. The point is the acting was awesome.
And in closing, I thought Tim Burton's new take on Alice in Wonderland has been like all of Tim Burton's work: darkly charming. It is just a fun movie. Kids will like it, even if there is dark material. I know not all kids watched the Halloween and Friday the 13th franchises like me, but still the really dark stuff is not a good enough reason to not see this movie. It is an enjoyable Disney film.
This has been yet another review from Your Modest Guru. Thanks for reading.
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