Great visually, but as Burton pulls often, a bit too dark

Rating: 6/10 (17 December 2010)

(Credit IMDb) Alice, an unpretentious and individual 19-year-old, is betrothed to a dunce of an English nobleman. At her engagement party, she escapes the crowd to consider whether to go through with the marriage and falls down a hole in the garden after spotting an unusual rabbit. Arriving in a strange and surreal place called "Underland," she finds herself in a world that resembles the nightmares she had as a child, filled with talking animals, villainous queens and knights, and frumious bander snatches. Alice realizes that she is there for a reason--to conquer the horrific Jabberwocky and restore the rightful queen to her throne.
Not being a big fan of the animated original, I was actually dreading the release of this. Johnny Depp is a favorite of mine, but I had no interest in the movie. To my surprise it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, and at times I enjoyed it. But aside from Edward Scissorhands, Tim Burton often makes his movies much too dark for my liking. Alice in Wonderland is no different. It's very violent, and has some scenes that would definitely not be suited for kid watching. I enjoyed the performances very much though, and it's certainly better than the overrated animated original.
Performances. Johnny Depp is fantastic as The Mad Hatter. He's wonderfully kooky, and I loved every moment he was on screen. He continues to amaze me was his incredible versatility. Mia Wasikowska is impressive in her role. She's easy on the eyes, and portrays a very likable character. Helena Bonham Carter is great as The Red Queen. She's wickedly sinister in every sense of the word, and obviously had a blast playing the role. Anne Hathaway is absolutely gorgeous, and did very well in her role. The people who performed the voices all did great work.
Bottom line. A bit too dark to be fully successful, but it wasn't too shabby at all. It definitely had its enjoyable moments, and I don't regret watching it. Worth the watch, especially if you love the original. As I have emphatically stated, I didn't.
6/10