HEFE'S REVIEW OF:
ALICE IN WONDERLAND (2010)

OPENING THOUGHTS

    I am a huge fan of the animated version of Alice In Wonderland, in fact that is actually my favorite Disney film of all time. So as you might imagine I was very apprehensive about seeing this movie as I didn't want to see Tim Burton shoot his cold black load all over this film and ruin the experience for me. However in the end, I couldn't resist watching it, I had to know.

ACTING

    MIA WASIKOWSKA played the role of Alice and I actually thought she did a good job with the part. She looked like she could actually be pretty, but of course since this is a Tim Burton film he had to use makeup to make her look all sickly and pale with black circles around her eyes. Aside from the Burton makeup though, she was much better than I thought she would be and did a good job carrying the film.
    JOHNNY DEPP was interesting as the Mad Hatter, but then again all of his roles are interesting. Someone pointed out to me that he looks a lot like Madonna in all of his makeup and his CGI eyes, and now that is all I can see when I am watching him in this movie. Seriously, go and Google an image search of "Johnny Depp Mad Hatter Madonna" and look at the comparisons. It is freaky deaky. One of my favorite parts about Depp's performance was his voice. His kooky accent and light on his toes demeanor was perfect for the character even if once again his looks were the weakest part of the character.
    CRISPIN GLOVER in a Disney movie? That is something I never thought I would live to see. I love Crispin Glover, and any movie that puts Glover in their cast gets automatic bonus points in my book. Glover to me, was the best and most entertaining part of the movie. He is not afraid to go crazy or scream like a little girl if need be. That is what I love about Glover, he doesn't worry about coming across as a bad ass, he will go out of his mind, even if it means looking like he has a mental disability in the process.

DIRECTION AND SCRIPT

    TIM BURTON is really starting to irritate me. When he was at least working with original stories I was able to tolerate him using the same exact style for his films over and over again because it was his vision. However now it seems like he just keeps taking all of these classic stories and ruining them. He's kind of like an oil spill, everything he touches turns blacks and you can't wash it off. Look at his work from the past ten years or so, he has remade Sweeny Todd, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Planet Of The Apes, and Sleepy Hollow. His only original film was Big Fish and that incidentally was also his best film of the last decade. Do something original or just stop it. I get it you like dark goth things, but just remaking movies in your image is bit like masturbation, it's something you do in private, but not something you should share with the rest of the world.
    LINDA WOOLVERTON actually didn't do a bad job with the script. Considering how apprehensive I was about the idea of changing anything, the fact that I found anything to enjoy is a testament to how well she did. This wasn't phenomenal or anything, but it was at least interesting to watch. It was also kind of interesting to see what she did with the characters when she was allowed to expand on them. Seeing the Mad Hatter's back story for example was kind of interesting, and it was also interesting seeing the characters have thoughts and feelings that were more than just random crazy silly thoughts. All things considered this could have been a lot worse and I credit her with saving this movie from being a total waste of time.

THE VERDICT

    This was not the terrorist attack on Alice In Wonderland that I was expecting. Overall I was pleased with the acting, and the writing could have been much worse. At the very least the story was interesting. In the end I think it was Tim Burton who once again ruined this film and stopped it from being awesome. Burton is a one trick pony, and as he gets older he seems to be getting less and less creative. I wonder what classic story he will ruin next, I suppose only time will tell.
 
 

RATING: C +

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