A Review of Alice in Wonderland

One would think that if you watch a Tim Burton/ Johnny Depp collaboration based upon a legendary Lewis Carroll novel, you would get a movie that is equal parts madcap hilarity, witty dialogue, and enterprising spontaneity all thrown in with more than a sprinkling of genius. After all, these three characters all share a certain zany similarity that should surely result in a very entertaining synergy. Sadly, this is not the case. My only reaction to this latest version of Alice in Wonderland is an entirely underwhelmed “meh”. Look, it is not a bad movie by any means; it is just that it is very average. Allow me to explain why.

The action in this movie has been moved forward by thirteen years. Alice is now almost 20 - her previous experience in Wonderland is explained as a confused dream that later turns out to be genuine. The 19 year old version of Alice is attending a garden party where a very unappealing member of the aristocracy proposes marriage. Fleeing him, and pursuing a overcoat adorned white rabbit, she kneels at the base of a tree and peers down an immense hole. Then she falls in. All according to “Carollian” plan so far, no complaints from me.

The fall is one of the more enjoyable parts of the film because special effects are now advanced enough to finally do justice to Carroll’s imagination. Alice lands in a small, round room where she has to shrink, grow and then shrink some more to fit through the door. On the other side of the door Alice runs into a crowd of wonderfully absurd figures who launch into a wonderfully absurd discussion of whether or not this is the “right Alice.” Everything so far is entirely worthy of Carroll’s original story.

Unfortunately, that’s where it ends. Cue end of Alice in Wonderland, and cue beginning of Alice in Middle Earth. The plot from here on is standard Tolkien fantasy fare. It involves a land overtaken by the darkness of a wicked tyrant, a monster (the Jabberwocky), and the search for a magical item (sword) by a reluctant, unassuming hero. Other than one or two moments of dialogue, and the appearance of his original characters, there is almost nothing “Carrollian” left in the story line. People have always loved Carroll’s work for its wonderful unpredictability and bizarre round-about logic, but this story line is entirely too predictable if you ask me.

Look there are some enjoyable aspects to the movie nonetheless. The bloke sitting next to me kept on giggling throughout at some of the lighter moments, and there was definitely some “Lewis Carroll” inspired conversations (more “muchness” anyone?). There was also some quality acting. Mia Wasikowska was good as Alice, Johnny Depp was entertaining playing the Mad Hatter, and Helana Bonham Carter was quite wonderful as the evil Red Queen. Anne Hathaway on the other hand was truly awful as the White Queen. In fact, she was downright creepy with her all-white, anemic ensemble contrasting starkly with black lipstick and fingernails. To be honest, if I was a citizen of Wonderland I would be as uncomfortable with her being my political liege as I would the tyrannical Red Queen. Flouncing about distractedly with hands in the air she seemed to be only a couple of tottering steps away from a complete mental breakdown.

Then there is the meaning or message of the movie. True to form, Tim Burton steers away from the Christian symbolism of the original story, but instead settles on a kind of a “I am a woman, hear me roar” ending. Alice is transformed from a distracted 19 year old Victorian girl to a 21st century industry-shaking pioneer at the end of the movie. So we are meant to believe that capitalism is the answer for a girl who falls down rabbit holes. Boardrooms and international trade in China is the natural progression from the wonderfully multi-coloured world of Wonderland. I could almost picture Alice clicking open her laptop as she sails away to China in that very strange final scene. “Meh” is all I have to say to that. Look, I am not against a message of feminine empowerment at all, it’s just that it didn’t fit into the original character and vision of the story of Alice in Wonderland. Alice and the other characters were all somewhat anti-establishment so a colonial capitalist is just not what you would think Alice would grow up to be.

In fact, that’s the whole problem of this movie. Not everything “fits”. Burton’s overall vision doesn’t mesh with Lewis Carroll’s and so each weakens rather than strengthens the other. The special effects, especially in the 3D version are a treat, and some of the Lewis Carroll inspired conversation is delightful, but on the whole they don’t manage to lift an ordinary storyline enough to make the entire enterprise above average.

An entirely, ho hum, mildly entertaining “meh” score of 2 (and a half) out of 5 for this latest rendition of Alice in Wonderland.