Despite mixed reviews I was keen to see Tim Burton’s new film Alice in Wonderland and I was not disappointed. The visuals, with or without 3D, are fantastic and definitely worth paying to see on the big screen.
The film is an adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s classic, Alice and Wonderland, as well as drawing on its sequel, Through the Looking Glass. Tim Burton’s Alice has grown up, she is now 19 and on the verge of becoming engaged, when she returns to the magical and fantastic Wonderland. However, Alice believes that both her first and her present visit are simply dreams and she has to be convinced of her destiny to end the terrifying reign of the Red Queen.
The film has an all-star cast including Anne Hathaway, Matt Lucas, Stephen Fry, Helena Bonham Carter and Barbara Windsor. However, the true star of the show is Johnny Depp in his role as the Mad Hatter which is both convincing and touching and this is almost matched by the young Mia WasiKowska who plays the part of Alice.
I strongly disagree with the critics who argue that the film lacks the heart of the original and that its only merits lie in its stunning visuals. The film’s pictorial value is more than met by its emotive content and I urge you to see it.
Frederica Dixon