Fantastic

Rating: 9/10 (9 March 2010)

Let me start by saying that I am a huge fan of Tim Burton. I have seen several people bash this movie with phrases such as, "I hate Tim Burton." If you hate Tim Burton films, it follows logically that you won't like this one, either. I went into the theater hoping for something amazing, and this movie certainly lived up to my expectations. The dialogue was witty, the effects were beautifully done. The colors used throughout the movie really added to the story, from the bloody red of the Red Queen's castle to the charred black of parts of Underland. The music, composed by Danny Elfman, was an excellent complement to the film, adding to the mood without being distracting. The camera work was also great, with the subtle angles I expect now from a Burton film. I WILL say that it is likely that the 3D version will be hindered by this. I saw the RealD version, but I would imagine 3D would be annoying. Finally, the acting was great. Depp really brought the Mad Hatter to life in a way only he could - with the crazy aspects of Jack Sparrow and the quiet concern shown in his more serious roles. Bonham-Carter created the callous insanity of the Red Queen the same way she did Mrs. Lovett. Hathaway managed to create a "good" character who was, in her own way, nearly as mad as the Hatter. And of course, Wasikowska managed to portray both sides of Alice - the scared, confused girl and the confident fighter. All in all, I give it 9 stars and will definitely be buying this as soon as it comes out. Finally, to those who are iffy about seeing the movie because of the dance, know this: it is at most 30 seconds long and had been mentioned and promised numerous times throughout the film. It wasn't the completely random, movie-wrecking scene that many critics are portraying it as.