Tim Burton Triumphant

Rating: 9/10 (1 August 2010)

Tim Burton gets to do here what he does best: fantasy with a dark edge. Just as he did with his modern fairy tale classic Edward Scissorhands, Burton takes a whimsically fantastic story and gives it some bite.
Remaining true to the characters and situations of the books, which for those of you who haven't read them had some dark edges of their own, Burton eschews some of the preciousness of the Disney cartoon version and makes the story more accessible to modern teens and adults while retaining the classic period feel. Depp and Bonham-Carter are perfect in their roles, and Wasikowska as Alice holds her own with them. The special effects are great. I loved the Cheshire cat and the blue caterpillar (voiced by the always excellent Alan Rickman); they really had personality though they were CG creations.
This is an amazing looking film that doesn't forget the importance of telling a good story. The screenwriter has done a great job of taking Alice's "real life" and weaving it into her journey through Underland, where she comes to a valuable realization and greater understanding of herself. A fine film for children and adults.