ALICE IN WONDERLAND 3.5****
Wondering about “Alice in Wonderland”? Wonder no more, “Wonderland” is wonderful.

Also, you might assume that since Tim Burton is the Director, the movie will be too dark and dreary. Well you would be wrong..very wrong indeed.. Burton must have had some kind of epiphany and, as a result, discovered there are colors other than black and white because in this film he revels in the use of rich and startling colors which are deeply enhanced by the 3D process. As a result, this is one of the most beautiful and colorful movies I’ve seen in a while. And, while the story line is slightly dark, it is for the most part delightful and charming, and it’s FUN and. you don’t usually say that about a Burton film.

Then too it has Johnny Depp as the “madly fascinating” Mad Hatter. Burton’s joy in the use of colors is highlighted in Depp’s character, from the facial make-up, the eyes, the hair, the all of it which is so captivating and rich. Depp ceases to amaze me with the depth of his creativity and the fun and mischief he radiates when portraying an unusual character.. and what could be more unusual than a Mad Hatter. Many of the other characters are uniquely presented both physically and colorfully, especially the “mean” Red Queen ( Helena Bonham Carter) who, upon the slightest provocation, is quick with the command of “off with their heads”; Twiddledum and Twiddledee (Matt Lucas); and the nice White Queen (Anne Hathaway) who is SO nice, she is all white.

The story line is fairly simple in a delightfully complex way. Alice has grown up..she is now 19 but is still having recurring dreams of her first Wonderland experience and now believes it was only a dream. Well after just being proposed to by a dweeby, fanciful Mr. Hamish, she runs off into the forest chasing that infamous Hare and in the process falls down that same old rabbit hole and lands once again in Wonderland. It’s different, a shade older but still oh-so familiar and the inhabitants have all been waiting for Alice’s return. She too is older but wiser, more incredulous and independent. I won’t go on lest I say too much.

Alice is played by a new young actress, Mia Wasikowska, who is perfectly cast for the role of the older Alice. She plays her with pluckiness, charm, and beauty and shows that Alice definitely has not lost her “muchness”. Amazingly for a newbie, she handles herself quite well and hits it off from the start with Depp which is always a plus.

Tim Burton has given us a superb sequel to the classic story that puts most other sequels to shame. He's taken the story, lovingly molded it with state-of-the-art technology, and used his fascination with darkness as a way of creating contrast, helping us to see just how colorful and indelible Lewis Carroll's creations could be. He's preserved the original, but then made it even more revealing and magical.
So a big yes to recommending that you too be willing to slide down that old rabbit hole and experience for yourself the wonder of “Alice in Wonderland” !!!

NOTE: You absolutely MUST see this on the big screen in 3D…even better on IMAX 3D…too much of the stunning visuals will be lost on the small screen.

RATED: PG and is safe for kids 6 and over unless they are easily frightened .

Clark