The Critics Tackle Wonderland

Justin says:
I recently watched the new Alice in Wonderland movie. But not in 3D. They were sold out of tickets for all 3D showings. Regardless, the movie was still pretty good. While lacking the classic magical feeling universally related with the original, it did supply action and a little comedy. The writers took the two sides, Alice and the Red Queen, and did what any good action movie writer would: they started a war.

We somehow went from tea parties and talking doors to killing the Jabberwock and fighting card soldiers. Something other books and short-stories have tried, but this movie does it in one the two best ways (the other being the story of the Looking Glass Wars series). Rather than take Wonderland and change the story completely, Alice in Wonderland simply makes Alice grow up. This movie was meant to take place after Disney's classic, during a time when the Red Queen rules with a brutal iron grip. Alice is living on Earth, a normal British girl. After chasing a rabbit in a waistcoat and falling down a hole, she's in Wonderland. Similar to the original, but the changes that were made makes this movie no where near the brilliant masterpiece the original was.

Sam says:

I agree with you completely! There was something uncomfortably dry about this film, a missing element that had me wincing. On rare occasions, magic is caught on screen. This few films go forward into the realm of the classics. And I think I can safely say that this film will not reach that realm.

Although this movie had characters with plenty of potential, few of the reached what I expected of them. I was happy with Helena Bonham Carter, who tried her best to keep the film afloat.

Who can resist her? Or her fat boys?

However, I was quite disappointed with Johnny Depp. I mean, come on! You're great, Johnny, I worship you. But you let me down in this film. You're usually amazing when it comes to creating a fabulous mix of weird and just the right dosage of awesome. But playing the Mad Hatter? Your acting in this one felt......God, I hate to say it, but BLAND. You left out the awesome this time.

This is me, trying my best to impress you!

Ahhhhhhh!

Now for the White Queen. Anne Hathaway, thank you. Thank you for giving us a parody of so many other watery women characters we've seen (try Clash of the Titians, Twilight ect).You always brighten my day.

How did I feel about Alice her herself? Played my newcomer Mia Wasikowska, who tried her best to stray from the irritating, stuck-up, self obsessed Alice we're seen so many times before. She's succeeded! Mia displays all of Alice's more prized traits such as bravery, defiance and the like. Giving us girls a good role model! Yay, for Mia!

Alice and Wonderland offers us a half a handful of great characters, special effects and costume design. Unfortunately, half a handful is not enough to make a truly memorable film.