Alice in Wonderland (movie)

I finally got to see the movie version, directed by Tim Burton, of Alice in Wonderland today.  I must say, I enjoy these types of movies-the kinds with interesting spins on old classics and good music, characters, and scenery.  I especially liked the sci-fi feel to it, reminding me of a movie version of The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor, another version of Alice in Wonderland.  It has the same dark, slightly twisted feel and surreal descriptions of their world as the new movie.

The story begins with the past, showing 6 year-old Alice Kingsley and her father, Charles.  She tells him she is having dreams about Wonderland, and he tells her not to worry; dreams cannot hurt her.  Thirteen years later, her father has died, but Alice is still having dreams about that same place.  Arriving at her own engagement party and wanting to avoid answering her suitor, she chases after a white rabbit in a waist coat and thus begins the main story.

 

I think many aspects of this movie are spot-on.  The settings, the characters, the costumes, and the special effects produce a world of slightly morbid fantasy that is new to the normally innocent and curious children's story Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.  Even though this is rated PG, my mother expressed doubt that children under 6 would understand the movie.  I agree.  It would take someone who has read the original stories and appreciates a fantastical, darker twist of plot to fully enjoy this movie.  That said, there weren't many witty one-liners except from the Mad Hatter himself, and the plot was a rather typical remake of Alice in Wonderland.  However, I did enjoy the Mad Hatter's dancing.  Quite.

Image from media.onsugar.com