Film: Alice in Wonderland 3D (2010)
Category: Family
Director: Tim Burton
Rated: (PG)
Duration: 108 min
Rating: 6/10
Tag: Disney fans rejoice, Burton fans… don’t hold your breath!
Synopsis:
Alice is attending her own surprise engagement party, but before she gets a chance to give her answer she quite literally falls into Wonderland. Amongst this enchanting land Alice meets some rather obscure characters, not least The Mad Hatter and The Queen of Hearts – only to discover that The Queen has tyrannical rule over wonderland. Is alice really the only one who can out a stop to this?
Review:
If you find yourself a parent with a free weekend, this is a defiant one to see with the kids; as they will be enthralled by the effects and fantasy of the usual disney style, while you enjoy, a slightly extrovert version of a well known childhood tale. Be warned though there are some scenes later in the movie involving the mythical Jabberwocky that may scare some younger children. and if you simply have some time on your hands then the film is very watch-able if you enter without any preconception (but not one to go out of your way to see).
An all star cast including Jonny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Anne Hathaway. Also supporting is Stephen fry, Alan Rickman, and Matt Lucas. Some very big names i think you will agree, but we didn’t see a show-stopping performance from any member of such a capable cast. This said, the performnces are by no means bad, but simply lacking somewhat when looking retrospectively of both Depp’s and Bonham Carter’s previous works with Burton. Mia Wasikowska (Alice) was a surprising cast, but gave a convincing performance at portraying a sense of disillusion as well as a childish inquisitiveness truly encapsulating the character of Alice. Concerning Depp’s performance; i found it hard to believe The Mad Hatter was not simply a collaboration of previous characters rather than a new performance.
Due to my own expectations of what a Tim Burton film should be i must admit i left the cinema feeling confused. Once out of the cinema environment and away from some of the unnecessary 3D effects on screen, the sense of disappointment started to spread like a cold. If Burton fans leave it a whole day to manifest then the effects become prominent enough to suggest it was a let down in some ways. If we were to take this as a simple Disney family film, then i don’t believe many would have quarrels with it, as, for a Disney production it works for the specific expectant audience. However, when branded with the mark of Burton as director, i admittedly, fell into the trap of expecting obscure and imaginative worlds so commonly seen in his work (e.g. Edward Scissorhands, Nightmare before christmas and James and the Giant Peach to name a few) and not something that seemed a little flat. I also found that there were times the 3D effects seemed unnecessary and over used. The further into the film we delve this becomes more apparent and makes it become much harder to find Burton’s imaginative stamp, but rather a generic Disney styling with only glimpses Burton (for instance the visual look of the queen). Perhaps Disney pushed this 3D stylings slightly as it seems to be the “done thing” at present, or perhaps it is just Burton exploring a new medium. Either way it felt over used and somewhat cheapened what could have been some good scenes. This said, at the occasional time, the story lent itself to the 3D imagery (such as the disappearance of the Cheshire Cat, and the extrovert effects were then stunning. The biggest disappointment in my opinion was the visual of Wonderland itself. With such a giving story and imaginative descriptions of characters - that quite easily transferrable to distinctive on screen visuals – the challenge and creative fun would lie in the creation of the world that is Wonderland. There seemed to be little or no exploration of this world, and simply quick journeys to locations where we would linger on the same set for prolonged periods. Instead i would have liked to have seen obscure interactions with the surroundings, some divergence from the book for creative licence was lacking. The only impressive scenery was the end battle on a giant chessboard; with the two forces, dressed in their own colours either side of the board. A very nice touch. The impression of landscapes created around what can be 3D rather than the other way round, was also prevalent and may have constrained the creation of better scenery.
Summary:
A recommendable film for families and someone with time to spare, containing; an all star cast, many in your face 3D effects (that may not appeal to every one) and some quality finishing allowed by a Disney budget. If taken as a simple Disney film, then this is at very least a watchable film, but if viewed as an expectant fan of Burtons work be warned, as you may miss that classic feeling of wonder, insight and interest that Burton’s creative style usually brings.
