Twinkle, Twinkle Little Bat

Rating: 8/10 (15 June 2013)

Growing up in the late 90s, early 2000s, there was one director who's work either haunted me or enchanted me. You might have heard of him, his name is Tim Burton. I loved films he worked on like James and the Giant Peach and Pee Wee's Big Adventure, for they captured a wonderful, whimsical and fantastic essence and structure. But when it came to films like The Nightmare Before Christmas and Beetlejuice, I was turned away and terrified, for I just didn't care for the macabre feeling and dark humor. Even the 1989 Batman and Batman Returns didn't suit my taste at first. It wasn't until my later years when I got into the movies and realized how brilliant they really were and how imaginative and demented the mind of Tim Burton was. Sure, some of his films were oddballs like Planet of the Apes and Mars Attacks, but Burton was a mastermind with a signature style and outlook.
So when it came time for him to reimagine Lewis Carroll's timeless tale of Wonderland and a little girl named Alice, I was intrigued. I saw pictures of Johnny Depp as the Hater and Helena Bonham Carter's big headed Red Queen and thought this would be an interesting experience with classic Burton humor and memorable characters. And while I'll say right off the bat that the film was interesting, it's not one of Burton's best. It's a brilliant and imaginative dream ride and you were very lucky to see it in stunning 3-D, but at times, I forgot I was even watching a Tim Burton film and instead watching an over bloated, CGI mad fest. The CGI felt a little out of place at times and some of the film's plot points became a little repetitive, like Alice eating the cake to grow and drinking the elixir to shrink. Still, the film has some elements that even rival that of the original animated Disney film and other interpretations done throughout the years.
Johnny Depp is a stellar actor and his performance of the Mad Hater comes off as something entirely new and refreshing. He's not a tea obsessed, mad ball like the Ed Wynn version was, he's just a cheerful, optimistic and at times serious fellow that giggles at inconvenient times and gives off a creepy, yet humorous grin. I don't know about you, but every time he smiles, I give a snicker or two. Helena Bonham Carter is also amusing as the Red Queen, a cross between the Red Queen from Through the Looking Glass and the Queen of Hearts. Her quadruple sized head and overbearing voice make her intimidating and fear worthy and in my opinion, it's one of Helena's best performances in her husband's films, right up there with Mrs. Lovett and Emily from Corpse Bride. One of my favorite actors is also in this film. Count Dracula himself, Christopher Lee makes a cameo as the voice of the frightening Jabberwocky and even if he delivers just a few lines, he's a powerful force to be reckoned with. Interesting enough, Michael Gough is also in this film. Of course, he and Christopher Lee worked together in Horror of Dracula and Dr. Terror's House of Horrors. Mia Wasikowska is alright as the lead Alice, but I found myself a bit underwhelmed in some areas of her performance. Anne Hathaway is also decent as the White Queen, despite her constantly waving her hands around like a ninny.
The look of the film just screams Wonderland. Burton and his crew were able to capture the stylized and lavished surface of Wonderland beautifully and as I stated before, you were a lucky duck to see this in 3-D. From the inside of the Red Queen's palace to the opaque atmosphere of the White Queen's palace, this film has lots of eye candy to look at marvel upon. The designs of some of the CGI characters is also a highlight. The look of the Chesire Cat really stuck out the most for me and his charisma and quirkiness makes him my favorite character from the movie. He's also voiced by Stephen Fry. Tweedledee and Tweedledum are swell goofballs with ridiculously large heads and a hilarious way of walking about and Absolem is long, blue, slow and outspoken, much like Severus Snape from the Harry Potter films (which makes sense because he's voiced by Alan Rickman). Some of the characters that got under my skin a bit were the Red Queen's associates, you know, those characters with the long noses, huge chins and oversized bellies. I felt they added nothing to the film and a scene where their noses, chins and bellies fall out came off as a bit predictable.
Still, many of the character obtain a sense of dignity and determination to do what they feel is right. Alice, in the end, realizes that she was destine to slay the Jabberwocky and in the grand scheme of things, she is able to accomplish just that and save the land. But the film's major highpoint and moral is to believe in your dreams even when you don't want to believe in them. Sometimes, things you think are fake are 100% reality and that you can take control of them, but only if you, you guessed it, believe. Alice in Wonderland gets that point across flawlessly, even if the film itself is far from flawless. Then again, what film is flawless. Alice in Wonderland is a fateful adaptation of the source material and Burton's very best hit at the Carroll tale, but it's in no means his crowning jewel. Aside from a few CGI issues, acting issues, and over the top moments of ridiculousness, it's a pretty decent and fun movie and well worth a few hours of your time.