Return to Wonderland is good...until the Futterwacken dance

Rating: 7/10 (21 April 2010)

In the umpteenth film version of Lewis Carroll's story, a 19 year-old Alice discovers a white rabbit with a waistcoat and a pocket watch whilst at a stuffy garden party. Following him down his hole, she finds herself in the topsy-turvy world of Underland, which she visited as a child thinking it was called Wonderland. The entire population seems to remember her, but Alice has no recollection of the place. More alarmingly, she is part of a prophecy that will end the nasty Red Queen's reign of terror, and all the strange characters are egging her on to help restore the good White Queen as ruler.
I was worried that I wouldn't really like Tim Burton's take on "Alice in Wonderland" for a variety of reason, mainly because of Linda Wolverton's potentially saccharine script, which in part seems to rip off "Hook" and "Return to Oz" (on paper, that is). The critical bashing also didn't exactly project greatness. Fortunately, I wasn't all that disappointed. Whilst the madness of Wonderland is relatively toned down, the film proved to be overall a winner. The computer effects are some of the best I have ever seen (I really hope that this will at least be nominated for a special effects Oscar), and there were some real winners in the cast, in particular Anne Hathaway as the White Queen.
However, the film is not without its problems. A number of plot points aren't highlighted very well (for example: who exactly ruled Underland/Wonderland when Alice went there as a child?), and the social mobility alluded to once Alice goes home, although positive, seems highly historically inaccurate. But the worst part of all is when the Mad Hatter does the Futterwacken dance after the Jabberwock has been slain. It seems like some executive forced Burton to have Johnny Depp do a funny break-dance for the children in the audience, and the whole sequence seems completely out of place.
Needless to say, "Alice in Wonderland" is a pleasant, fun-filled way to pass an hour or two, and comes recommended.