by Ismaa Viqar

Tim Burton’s adaptation of Alice in Wonderland hit theaters this weekend with wonderful review, but Burton fans should gear themselves to be disappointed. The hype of the film created by brilliantly colored ads, suspenseful trailers and the wait for the release date was far greater than needed for a film so mediocre.

The film begins with a younger Alice, laying in bed, telling her father about an inconceivable dream she had, with references to Lewis Carroll’s original story, recounting all the strange characters she met. She asks her father if he thinks she’s mad. He replies by telling her that some of the best people always are. Thirteen years later, we meet an older Alice who tells her mother about recurring dreams she has been having, reiterating that it must be unusual for people to have the same dream over again as she does.

Alice, her mother and her sister attend an outdoor garden party to which they’re late to. Through two talkative girls who cannot keep a secret, Alice finds out that an older man, Hamish, is to propose to her and that the party she is at is her own engagement party. As she stands before everyone, she sees a little white rabbit which she runs towards, excusing herself by saying, “I need a moment.”

Alice finds herself briskly descending the rabbit hole, made even more amazing by the 3D IMAX experience. The audience is able to feel both the intensity and acceleration of the decent, with randomly placed items flying to and fro. There is a sense of fear of the unknown that the audience can share with Alice. Whereas this part of the film is similar to the original story, it changes from here on out where the main dilemma is the terrible deeds of the Red Queen, played by Helena Bonham Carter, who has taken the crown from the White Queen, played by Anne Hathaway. Alice must prove herself as the “real Alice” and slay the Jabberwocky.

The film was visually astonishing in its realistic portrayals, not only of the scenery but of the characters as well. The plant life, such as the delicate flowers, were so real that you might feel as though you could pluck them from the screen and take them home with you. The computer generated Cheshire Cat was realistic in its accuracy of Carroll’s original idea of him and even Disney’s portrayal of him. His eyes gleamed happily mad. The red and white knights shared similar realism in that each square inch of them was so real that you had to pinch yourself and remember that Burton had submerged you into his vision of the fictional Underland, as it’s referred to in the film.

Although the film is aesthetically pleasing, the film as a whole is not entirely entertaining. The film was much too predictable, partly because in the first half hour, a scroll reveals an image of Alice standing atop a plateau, sword in hand, fighting the Jabberwocky. The whole story bounces around, trying to introduce old characters to show Carroll’s influence with a Burtonesque take, and ultimately ends where it says it will. In that aspect, it tries to be suspenseful but falls short.

The use of Johnny Depp and even Helena Bonham Carter in another Tim Burton film seems to take away from the film’s originality. Although Carter does a superb job portraying the Red Queen, Depp as the Mad Hatter is just Jack Sparrow with a little more liquor and a different outfit. Mia Wasikowska was not a strong enough actress to portray Alice and at times her emotions did not coincide with the scene.

The film tries too hard to be an epic film where it evidently isn’t. It attempts to capture the same feeling as the film adaptation of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, with Alice as the mighty warrior fighting the big foretold battle. Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland was never meant to be adapted into a rough and tumble action movie with fancy CGI.

Don’t watch Alice in Wonderland, expecting to be wowed by an interesting plot and rich character development. This movie is typical Tim Burton fare dressed up in a new costume.

Grade: C+