Exploring: Alice in Wonderland 2010

Exploring: Alice in Wonderland (2010)

The Plot / Story:

This movie is a continuation of Alice’s adventures picking up 10 years after she has left Wonderland and forgotten the earlier visit.  She returns and learns that she must help the inhabitants to slay the Jabberwocky, the dragon who terrorizes the inhabitants of Wonderland under the rule of the Red Queen. (Wikipedia) (The Official Site)

Review

6out of 10

Overall Alice in Wonderland was good but not great.  I would own it but not rush out to get it right away.  It failed to live up to the expectations for a movie with such a gifted cast and director behind it.

Where was the wonderland in this movie?  I got the feel that Tim Burton's heart was not in the movie.  After all he gave us Batman, Beetle Juice and Nightmare Before Christmas all of which brought much wonder to the settings.  Even the animated Disney film had much more wonder to it's Wonderland.  I also had the strong feeling that this movie was focused grouped and polished too much.  This one felt more like the Lion the Witch and Wonderland than and Alice in Wonderland story.

Overall Alice in Wonderland was not bad it just should have been much better.  I will watch it again and look forward to seeing if there are missing scenes on the DVD.  I  wish they could go back and redo it, maybe give us a directors cut with feeling.

Likes

• The Music was great

• had some beautiful scenes

• the Cheshire cat, Jabberwocky, red and white queen, all looked good

Concerns Addressed

• Jonny Depp’s Mad Hatter coming across more like his Captain Jack character:  Through out most of the movie he played a brilliant Mad Hatter.  Although he did seem more like captain jack in the tea party scene this may also have been the influence from the 3D effects.

• Tim Burton's heart was not in the film, it should have been creepier, weirder and more bizarre

• had a focused group feel, too shiny

• Anne Hathaway seemed unrehearsed and ill prepared which was odd for the character who would have been overly rehearsed and overly prepared

• The ending seemed like so much claptrap, have we forgotten how to end the film.  Alice came off totally unhinged why would I trust her as a business partner

Trailer

First Impressions

 Under Tim Burton’s direction I expect Alice in Wonderland to be a dark and strange trip down the rabbit hole.  The music should also be very good under Danny Elfman’s direction.  The cast involved in the project is stellar though there is concern over Jonny Depp’s Mad Hatter coming across more like his Captain Jack character.  The problem I’ve had so far is how some of the characters look from the posters and trailers, especially the Cheshire Cat who is my favorite character.  I expect some of this is due to Disney’s push to make this a 3D movie.  The pros outweigh the con’s so Alice in Wonderland is still a theater for me.

The Basics

• Studio:  Walt Disney Pictures

• Director: Tim Burton

• Music by:     Danny Elfman

• Produced by:  Richard D. Zanuck, Joe Roth, Suzanne Todd, Jennifer Todd

• Written by:  Linda Woolverton

• Stars:  Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Crispin Glover, Michael Sheen, Stephen Fry

Get your copy here:

• Alice in Wonderland