I Wanted to Like This More Than I Did

Rating: 6/10 (19 January 2011)

Visuals & special effects - check! Costumes - check! Musical score - check! New leading young actress - check! Tim Burton gothicness - check! So why wasn't I blown away by Alice In Wonderland? It had some dark undertones & creepiness, but I really wanted more. Something darker & more sinister, like Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth. I wanted meaner & grosser creatures, but Tim Burton can't seem to go all the way, especially when funded by Disney. So, like all his other movies, he almost makes a cool, Gothic film.
I digress, but Tim Burton, like Johnny Depp & Helena Bonham Carter, can't seem to cross into greatness because of their Disney connections. Let's face it, Disney doesn't want to alienate their young fans and offend parents. But I think they would shine better if they did their own, independent thing. I'm sick of Depp doing goofy franchise roles (Pirates of the Caribbean) or cartoon voice-overs. I want to see some real acting! Kick it up a notch folks.
Alice in Wonderland was good, not great. It fell short because 1) it was too long and dragged toward the end, 2) it was not creepy, dark or scary enough. It was clearly a Disney production.