Alice In Wonderland
Review
by Anthony Morris
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Alice In Wonderland
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There's
a long-standing Hollywood tradition where big name directors make one
film for themselves then one film for their corporate masters, and for
a long time Tim Burton's been the director to avoid when he's doing it
for the money (remember Planet of the Apes? Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?).
But because he's still seen as the master of "dark whimsy", even the knowledge that his version of Alice in Wonderland
was a Disney production (they own the trademarks), and not something
from the heart wasn't enough to dampen interest. The
news that the story wasn't a direct adaptation of either of the
original books, but instead a all-new Hollywood-style follow-up,
featuring Alice (Mia Wasikowska) as a young woman might have worried a
few people but hey - it's Tim Burton. Oh yeah, and it's in 3D! With Johnny Depp! But
in a result that will disappoint many but surprise no-one, this is yet
another film where Burton's vast visual skill is coupled with not much
else to create an experience that looks amazing but is best enjoyed in
the background while conversing with your friends about something else
entirely. The story is pretty much
the result of a Hollywood sausage factory, throwing various "greatest
hits" characters and situations from the original books into a
half-hearted but visually impressive story where various rebels battle
to overthrow the evil rule of the Red Queen (Helena Bonham-Carter with
a massive CGI head). Having a film version of Alice in Wonderland
that ends with a giant battle while Alice - in armour and wielding a
sword - battles the Jabberwok is pretty much an insult to everything
the original stood for, and the moral of the film makes no sense
whatsoever. In the real world it's all
girl-power that Alice avoids her destiny (to marry a Lord), yet in
Wonderland it's presented as a good thing that she can't avoid her
destiny (to battle the Jabberwok). Huh? Meanwhile,
Depp's Mad Hatter gets annoying long before he performs perhaps the
most gratuitous, painful dance number ever seen on film - seriously,
it's literally unwatchable. If
there's one of those big glossy "making-of" books with loads of images
from the film available, read that instead of enduring this.
2.5
out
of 5
Alice In Wonderland
Australian release: 4th March,
2010
Official
Site: Alice In Wonderland
Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Crispin Glover, Anne Hathaway
Director: Tim Burton
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