Once again, a near-success from Burton

Rating: 5/10 (29 March 2012)

Great production design, a mildly amusing Johnny Depp and the most mainstream storyline that I have ever seen in a Tim Burton film to date. As you can tell, I am totally divided as whether I thought this was a good or a bad day at the movies.
The good news is that I thought that Johnny Depp did nicely. Not entirely up to par with previous characters, but at least he wasn't as creepy as the Mad Hatter, as he was as Willy Wonka. The bad news is that the story and most of the characters just doesn't have that kind of odd whimsy, usually found in Tim Burton's work. Everything is kind of watered down so as to not totally freak out mainstream audiences, particularly the kiddies. Also, there is kind of a moral to this film that I would have never expected coming from Burton.
As for the animated characters, they were just not that much fun. I got a few chuckles out of the rabbit and the Cheshire cat but otherwise they are pretty much what you would expect from an ordinary animated film.
Still, the film moves at a brisk pace and I can't say that I was totally bored, I just expected more. By the way, after Helena Bonham-Carter's fifth "Off with their heads!", could you tell that it was supposed to be funny by then?