ALICE IN WONDERLAND - Theatrical review

"There is a place. Like no place on Earth. A land full of wonder, mystery, and danger! Some say to survive it: You need to be as mad as a hatter." -- The Mad Hatter

The above quote exemplifies all you really need to know going into Tim Burton's 2010 Disney version of "Alice in Wonderland." As in Disney's 1951 version, it is strange, bizarre, and murky, yet full of wonderment and delight. Need I mention, since the 1951 version there have been countless versions made for television and VHS. Needless to say, the Lewis Carroll tale has been an adored children's story for many decades, yet I've never found it to sit too well with younger children. After all, it is very weird, and rumor has it that Carroll may have written the story under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs. I can't say that's ever been proven, but the overall narrative seems to suggest otherwise.

I never visited Disney's 1951 version of "Alice in Wonderland" as a child. No, I did not watch it until I was able to purchase the VHS tape for my daughter when she was five-years old. When I finally did see it, I found it tiresome, slow, odd, quite spotty, even the music a bit too obscure for my taste. It certainly had the Disney animation, but it never quite felt like a Disney trademark film. The message was clear that we were watching a young girl find her way from childhood to adolescence, but was it necessary to show a blue caterpillar smoking from a hookah pipe or to have her hang out with characters that were literally insane? I mean, the hookah pipe alone surprised me because it is well known that not only tobacco goes into those pipes. Therefore, what underlying messages was Disney trying to tell us? I can only assume things were meant to be a lot more innocent in those days. Granted, a very good friend of mine made me aware that the hookah smoking caterpillar is described that way in Lewis Carroll's novel. Therefore, I guess I can understand it may have been difficult to leave it out and not upset the fans of the book.

Fifty-nine years have passed, and now Disney has handed over the reins to Tim Burton to bring the franchise back to life. Even though the Disney folks have had their ups and down with Burton, who else were they to get to produce something as extraordinary and bizarre as "Alice in Wonderland"? Tim Burton was the obvious choice, and he more than succeeds in bringing his own narrative to life. In Burton's version, Alice (Mia Wasikowska) has grown up thirteen years later from her last visit to Wonderland. She is faced with the tough decisions of becoming a young woman. She is up against a forced marriage engagement and finds herself in a similar narrative she faced as a child. Therefore, Alice finds her way back down the rabbit hole into a story of self-discovery, just to find out who she really is as a young adult.

The film takes no time to rush us into a strange world full of wonder, enlightenment, and a darkness that only Tim Burton could pull off. Wonderland is full of landscapes that range from the very odd to something you might see in "Lord of the Rings." There are places that are rich in color and texture, but there are also places that are malevolent and eerie, which might seem a bit too frightening for small children. To be honest, the Burton version is better suited for a more-mature audience than it is for little kids. Nevertheless, what we see is simply amazing and quite delightful to look at. The story itself is certainly nothing too complex, even though it can feel slightly uneven and a bit clunky at times. I will say, I was never really bored at any time and found Burton's version far more entertaining than the old 1951 film.

We also get a wonderful cast of characters ranging from very sweet to very strange and extremely wicked. Johnny Depp--who can always be found in just about any Burton production--dazzles the screen as the insane Mad Hatter. As anyone should expect, he does an outstanding job and even comes equipped with his own back narrative. Well, let's just say, you will finally get to know what made him mad. Among other players are all the familiar characters well known to Wonderland: There's my personal favorite, the Cheshire Cat (Stephen Fry); then there's the White Rabbit (Michael Sheen) and Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Matt Lucas). Plus, we see the hookah-smoking Blue Caterpillar (Alan Rickman) and the overly charming White Queen (Anne Hathaway). Now, in my opinion, the one character that upstaged everyone else, though, was the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter). Her performance was immensely enjoyable as the "Off with their heads" evil queen, and I'd put her up there with Darth Vader and The Joker any day of the week. While I enjoy Depp in just about anything he does, it was Carter who owned the show every step of the way. I would undoubtedly recommend her for the best villain award for 2010, so far. It was a nearly dead-on performance on her part.

The Good:
The film is simply delightful to look at, and with such a wonderful cast of characters, it's quite entertaining, to say the least. Tim Burton paints his tapestry with all the art and talent we expect to see in his vision. The sets, mood, and design of the film are remarkable and full of the wonderment we have come to expect. When it comes to delivering a strange, fairy-tale fantasy world, Burton comes through with flying colors and never fails to disappoint. As far as a film that can take us somewhere beyond the imagination, Burton's version of "Alice in Wonderland" will probably be one of the best things going in 2010. It is filled with wonderful performances, an enjoyable appearance, and a narrative familiar and easy to digest. By far, it is a much more entertaining adaptation compared to the animated version of 1951.

The Bad:
While the film is overall entertaining and rarely boring, there are times when the story seems a bit irregular and clunky. Not that it damages the movie in any way, and it's something that probably should be expected in such an eccentric and uncanny world. I did question whether the third act was necessary, but I also figured it probably fits nicely for audience members of today. Well, let's just say the third act leads us down the road of battle and action, but you do have to consider the film was also meant to be enjoyed as 3D entertainment.

The Ugly:
I'm still baffled that Disney let Burton go for the Caterpillar smoking the hookah. I'm sure I'm not the only one who knows the hookah pipe is also associated with marijuana. Kind of an ugly message to be sending children, don't you think? Well, it really doesn't bother me personally, and it comes as no surprise to see Burton go off the edge a bit, but I am surprised Disney wasn't blowing the "family friendly" whistle here. Granted, I understand it's in the novel, and it isn't as if I've not been a little bit of a hippie myself through life. In my opinion, it's just that children will see this film and I feel it kind of sends a complex message, as if it's perfectly alright to tell kids drugs are fun. Then again, I'm sure I'm reading into it a bit too much.

Another ugly aspect is Tim Burton's hair, if you've ever seen it. If you ever have seen Burton's wild, untamed hair, you'd have to admit the Mad Hatter is almost an alter ego of himself. Well, it's just an observation, but one that seems extraordinarily strange, if not accurate.

Closing:
As much as I find the 1951 version of "Alice in Wonderland" one of my least-favorite Disney animated films, I have to admit Disney did the right thing by letting Tim Burton have a whack at the job. His version is a wonderful mix of style meeting substance, and the result is as enjoyable as it is delightful. Yes, it's still outlandish, twisted, and out-of-this-world, but Burton has a touch that gives the narrative a new life and a new "mad hat" to wear.