Alice in Wonderland

Tim Burton’s retelling of Alice in Wonderland has been quite vilified, especially for the uneven results of its 3D version (an unfortunate conversion from the 2D reel as the movie hadn’t been recorded in 3D like, say, Avatar), but I have to admit I quite enjoyed it.

The story still sees Alice falling down the rabbit hole, but this time Alice is a teenager (a quite good Mia Wasikowska) who doesn’t recall her first trip to Wonderland, but believes instead that it was just a dream.

The characters populating Wonderland are still the same, with Johnny Depp as Mad Hatter and Helena Bonham Carter as Red Queen towering above all for their virtuosity, but the entire cast does a good job.

As one would expect from Burton, the movie is technically sublime, with wonderful costumes, makeup, and visual effects, and the dark cinematography, a Burton’s hallmark, imbues Wonderland with added pathos.

Furthermore, having seen the 1985 live-action TV version, which showcases an impressive cast and still managed to be one of the worst Family Night experiences I ever had, I can’t but give thanks to Burton for a good retelling of this children’s favorite.

Grade: 7