Released: 2010
Rating: PG
Time: 1 hour 48 minutes
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
My Family Friendly Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Like a typical Tim-Burton-directed film, Alice in Wonderland was a visual feast for the eyes. A combination of live action and computer-generated characters kept the fantastical feel of the movie throughout. (And if you rent the DVD – I suggest you watch some of the bonus features to understand the work that went into the production of this film.)
Overview
When we first see Alice (played by Mia Wasikowska), she appears to be about 7 years old. She tells her father about the dreams she’s been having about weird characters and talking animals. She asks her father if she’s going crazy, and he responds by gently saying that his favorite people usually are…
Thirteen years later, Alice is with her mother, looking sickly and flaunting propriety. Arriving late at an afternoon party, Alice is informed by her sister that she is about to be proposed to by the host, and the party is actually an engagement party. After a very public proposal, Alice runs off for a moment – to follow a white rabbit – and falls into the rabbit hole landing in Wonderland.
Mystified and believing she is dreaming, Alice proceeds through her journey with skepticism. Meeting up with the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), the Cheshire Cat (voice by Stephan Fry), and other familiar characters in the Alice in Wonderland stories, Alice is thrust into a pivotal confrontation with the Red Queen, based on a prophecy written long ago.
Realizing that she is in fact NOT dreaming, Alice begins to wrestle with the continual questions about her identity posed by the blue caterpillar (voice by Alan Rickman). In the end, Alice realizes who she is, and what that means, and is no longer afraid to face her ultimate test.
My Review
A fan of Johnny Depp’s work and characterizations, it took some time to adjust to the Mad Hatter character. After watching a bonus feature about the creation of the character, I was reminded that the madness stemmed from the hatter’s occupation. (In early times, the materials used to create beautiful hats were often toxic, and mercury-based materials were often used. The mercury seeped into the hands and bodies of the hatters, driving them to “madness”.)
As the characters developed and the plot thickened, I was drawn into the battle between the vicious Red Queen and her sister, the White Queen, for the Crown. The Red Queen subjects talking animals to manual labor, shouts “Off with their head!” at the slightest provocation, and rules with an iron fist. The White Queen has taken a vow to avoid hurting anything, and insists on helping Alice pursue her destiny.
The thing about this movie that surprised me most was the gore-factor. There were a lot of scenes of violence and fighting, and I was surprised that the movie only got a PG rating. Honestly, I would not recommend this movie for children, and only young adolescents after previewing it yourself. While many movies these days are full of violence and vulgar language, the inclusion of a few bloody scenes of violence – while appropriate for the movie – are not appropriate for children.
However, as an adult, I can say I did enjoy the movie overall. It is certainly the grown up version of the Alice in Wonderland story I’ve always heard, and it was a fun twist on the traditional. NOTE: If you don’t enjoy Tim Burton movies, then you probably won’t enjoy this.
Be prepared for a fun and funky ride if you watch this – but save it for after the kids are in bed.
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What a great resource!