You've got a very important date.

Rating: Null/10 (16 March 2010)

Most people seem to agree that Tim Burton is one of the best filmmakers that ever lived, but his re-imaginings tend to get lukewarm receptions, I wouldn't say that this is a total re-imagining though I feel pretty comfortable saying that is kind of a sequel. The story of this movie is pretty loosely based on the two books of Alice's adventures in Wonderland, for some weird reason called Underland here. Alice is nineteen years old, has a mind of her own, very imaginative and somewhat frustrated by the uptight people around her, she also is alarmed by recurring dreams of a magical world. When some stiff asks her hand in marriage, an arranged marriage that is, she runs off asking for a minute to think. She follows a white rabbit in a waistcoat down a rabbit hole and ends up in, you guessed it, Wonderland. Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dumb, the Doormouse, the White Rabbit, the Dodo Bird, and a Blue Caterpillar, constantly smoking a hookah, greet her with mixed feelings as they reveal that she is prophesied to slay the horrible Jabberwocky and end the reign of the Red Queen, though they doubt she is the right one and so does she, understandably. Alice believes the odd happenings to be a dream and is frustrated as all these bizarre characters seem to mistake her for another Alice who had come to Wonderland before.
One thing I will say first is the visuals are simply marvelous, everything is so vivid and colorful and the various creatures and characters are brought to the screen in a way that couldn't really be accomplished without computer animation, save for the somewhat superior traditional animated film. The queen with her gigantic head, the talking animals, talking flowers, card soldiers, they all look great. The battle between the forces of the White Queen and the Red Queen is great and the showdown between Alice and the Jabberwocky is definitely awesome. It's weird that this actually has a story, mostly borrowing from the second book I guess. The acting in the movie is great as always in a Tim Burton film. Johnny Depp brings a lot of charm and personality to the wacky Mad Hatter and totally immerses himself in the character, completely mad and always fun to watch, kind and welcoming at certain times, wild and angry other times. Mia Wasisowski makes Alice a very believable character and as rather than the one sane person in the crazy world, we see her as a young adult with a strong will and is seen as strange in the eyes of the no-nonsense people of her world. This is what Tim Burton has always been the master of, telling the stories of misunderstood characters we can sympathize with and empathize with. Alice's conflict with being what is expected of her is the driving force of the story and it works well.
The books were usually a stream of consciousness with a little girl wandering around meeting weird characters and poked fun at poetry and prose, as great fun as they were, there's a little more emotional connection here. The other characters are also pretty fun, the big headed and cruel and selfish Red Queen with voice and face of Helena Bonham Carter is amusing, though petty. The treacherous and arrogant Knave of Hearts, oddly played by Crispin Glover. Anne Hathway's performance as the White Queen is overacted but it works. Strangely enough, the voice acting is a real joy with all these weird computer animated characters, some of whom resemble the people provide their voices. Stephen Fry is the mysterious Cheshire Cat, Michael Sheen voices the hilariously psychotic March Hare, Matt Lucas as Tweedle Dee and Dumb, old Michael Gough voices the Dodo Bird in a brief scene and the amazing Christopher Lee is the Jabberwocky. Lee only says two lines but he makes that beast all the more scary. My only other little problems I guess are the very beginning and very ending, they seem just a little rushed. All in all, this is a very satisfying movie. I have yet to see a Tim Burton film that wasn't enjoyable and while this one may not be everyone's cup of tea, no pun intended, it's still a good movie.