Utterly Dismal, and Not for Young Children

Rating: 1/10 (7 March 2010)

I usually enjoy Tim Burton and was absolutely shocked at how bad this adaptation of Alice in Wonderland was. Although it had its moments, it was bogged down by a ridiculous "sword and sorcery" type plot, unintelligible dialogue, and dreary visuals.
What was missing? Charm. And a playful whimsical quality that should be present in an Alice in Wonderland story. I wasn't drawn into the "Wonderland" world whatsoever. The "Harry Potter" type story was incongruent and turned Alice in Wonderland into Harry Potter having a bad acid trip.
Worse, the CGI seemed cheap and the landscapes had no scope nor gave us awe-inspiring wonder. The Red Queen's castle was neat to look at, as were a few other things, but mostly, this was a wasted opportunity visually.
Most importantly, the film was way too adult for the subject matter. Several gruesome scenes make this a movie I would not bring young children to see, when a movie like this should be precisely made for young children and those young at heart.
A total disappointment.