‘Alice in Wonderland’ review

‘Alice in Wonderland’, for all the hype, the marketing, the trailers, and the buzz, is shockingly…average? Normal? An obvious attempt to spurn yet another Disney franchise? And perhaps most offensive of all…boring? I wish I could praise Tim Burton’s latest fantasy, but it’s just so bland that I can’t really bring myself to do it.

Now don’t get me wrong. Visually, ‘Alice’ is a fantastic display of CGI prowess. The setting of the film, “Wonderland”, rendered in 3-D is awesome and although it doesn’t look particularly realistic (an intentional effect) it looks stunning. Another great aspect of this film: The acting. Burton assembled a fantastic cast for this film. Johnny Depp is wickedly bizarre as the Mad Hatter. Often switching accents mid-sentence, and always being an interesting presence, Depp breathes a good deal of life into the film. Alan Rickman as the Blue Caterpilllar, Stephen Fry as the Cheshire Cat, and a welcome return from Crispin Glover as the Knave of Hearts all add to the film to a degree, yet none have the impact on the film that Helena Bonham Carter does.

Playing the Red Queen (a perpetually angry woman with a very, very large head), Carter is endlessly amusing. She steals every scene that she’s in, even against Johnny Depp. However, there is one casting flaw: Alice herself. Played by Mia Wasikowska, she simply has no personality. She resembles one of the children from the “Narnia” movies: Lifeless, dreary, and boring to watch. Unfortunately, we’re stuck with her for the 110-minute film.

Speaking of “Narnia”, that’s sadly what the film often resembles. You’d think, seeing as Tim Burton has directed it, it would be lively and interesting. Instead, it’s yet another good vs. evil film, with only one fore-told person who can finish the fight. (Alice, in this case) The film is generally up-beat and somewhat entertaining until the final act, which just simply kills the film and beyond. Not only does it devolve into an (uninteresting) battle sequence, but Johnny Depp has one 15-second moment that is horrendous in every possible facet.

So, all in all, ‘Alice in Wonderland’ is a massive disappointment. Although the performances are great (that is, aside from the lead role), the film is generally bland and uninteresting, and it entirely falls apart in the last 30 minutes.

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