Tim Burton has made several unique or downright odd movies over the course of his career, several of which Johnny Depp has been in.  They teamed up again for a new version of Alice in Wonderland.

I am not going to mention much about the plot of Alice in Wonderland, and I'm not saying anything that isn't clear from the previews.  People that would prefer not to know anything about the plot before seeing the movie should skip the next paragraph.  

**Minor Plot Discussion**

Nineteen-year-old Alice Kingsleigh gets distracted during a garden party when she spots a white rabbit.  She is more interested in the rabbit than anything else and takes off after him.  Alice eventually falls down a rabbit hole.  She ends up in an odd world where animals talk and everyone thinks she is a specific Alice.

**End of Minor Plot Discussion**

Lewis Carroll wrote two books about Alice.  I can't remember every reading them, though I have seen one or two versions of the story.  I just recently watched the animated Alice in Wonderland again and even though I enjoy it, I don't think it has much of a plot.  From what I have read about the new movie, it seems like things from both of the books featuring Alice have been used in an original story.  The fact that things aren't just like the books may upset some people.  I think the story works very well and is very entertaining.  There is definitely more of a plot instead of Alice just wondering around meeting odd people and creatures.  The movie probably is too different for some people.

The first few minutes of Alice in Wonderland introduce Alice and show that she isn't a traditional Victorian young woman.  It really doesn't take long for Alice to end fall down the rabbit hole and meet White Rabbit, Tweedledee, Tweedledum, Dormouse, and Blue Caterpillar.  After that, Alice is trying to find her way around the strange world she is in and the pace does pick up a bit at that point.  The plot isn't really complex even though several things are going on throughout the movie.  I think the plot is very interesting, entertaining, and unique even with the familiar elements that turn up.

Alice in Wonderland is rated PG and I think it is a mostly family friendly.  There are a few sequences that might be a bit upsetting or scary for younger children.  Some violence does turn up in a few scenes, so parents may want to check out the movie before taking their children.  I didn't see anything offensive in the movie, though there are a few innuendos every so often.  Children probably won't pick up on those things.  Action does turn up in some scenes in the form of a few chases and fights.  The action does help to keep the pace moving along and keep things interesting.  Humor turns up every so often as well, usually from something a character says or does.  I think Mad Hatter adds the most humor.

Most of what happens in Alice in Wonderland takes place in Wonderland, a some what odd place where animals wear clothes and talk.  Several spots are full of bright and lush vegetation and other areas look more barren and desolate.  The visuals in the movie are absolutely stunning.  Wonderland has a quirky look, something that I expected given that Tim Burton directed.  Several of the characters have a very unique look that works wonderfully for the movie.  The score, by Danny Elfman, fits perfectly for the movie, including whimsy and menace where appropriate.   

A lot of things for the movie has been created with CGI, including parts of a few characters.  The talking animal characters, like White Rabbit and March Hare, are created completely with CGI.  Cheshire Cat is done incredibly well, with the mischievous cat appearing and disappearing, sometimes with puffs of smoke swirling around.  I've read that most of the movie was filmed with green screens and that makes sense considering the look of the various locations.  The special effects were done very well.  I saw the movie in 3D.  It seems like it was used just to enhance the look of things instead of using it just as a gimmick.  Some theaters are showing the movie in IMAX 3D and a regular 2D version of the movie is also out.

Many of the characters in Alice in Wonderland are slightly crazy while others have gone completely around the bend.  Alice is a young girl who doesn't really fit in with other proper Victorian young ladies.  She tries to be independent in some ways while also trying to please her mother.  Alice does go through some changes over the course of the movie.  I think Mia Wasikowska does a good job with the part.  Alice's mother and sister are only briefly in the movie.

White Rabbit is the character who gets Alice's attention and gets her to follow him.  He pops up every so often and does what he can to help.  Michael Sheen does well with the voice of the character.  Dormouse is a tiny mouse who is always ready to fight.  She also spends some time with the March Hare and Mad Hatter.  Tweedledee and Tweedledum are twins who talk in a unique way that doesn't always make sense.  Matt Lucas performed as both twins with some kind of CG working being done to achieve the final look for them.  Blue Caterpillar turns up every so often to give Alice some advice.  Alan Rickman does really well with the voice of the character.  Michael Gough provides the voice of Dodo Bird in a few scenes.

Mad Hatter obviously has some sanity issues with how he goes off on tangents babbling about various things, sometimes with a different accent.  Every so often he does have flashes of sanity, something I think makes the character more interesting.  He looks a bit wild and wacky with the orange hair and bizarre eyes, but that works perfectly for the character and the movie.  At one point he even turns up wearing a kilt, something I didn't expect.  Johnny Depp is wonderful in the part, making Mad Hatter a more complex and interesting character instead of just a crackpot who likes to drink tea.  I've read a few interviews with Depp and he says that he did research on people who made hats in Victorian times.  They used different chemicals on the fabrics that basically made them high and eventually caused them to act weird.  

March Hare seems to be even further off his rocker than Mad Hatter.  March Hare is nervous and twitchy and has a tendency to throw food items if he is aggravated.  Paul Whitehouse does well with the voice of the character.  Cheshire Cat appears and disappears around Wonderland.  He seems calm though he tends to vanish at signs of trouble or danger.  Stephen Fry does a really good job with the voice.

The Knave of Hearts is in charge of the Red Queen's Army.  He follows her orders and is the only one who can calm her down.  He also seems to push her into doing things once or twice.  Crispin Glover is great in the part.  The Red Queen is in control of Wonderland and she uses force to rule.  She has no problems hurting people and frequently wants to execute people who irritate her.  She had major anger management issues.  The Red Queen doesn't seem to like animals since she uses them for various furniture.  She has a large head and seems to only want people in her court who have a large body part.  Helena Bonham Carter is wonderful in the part.

The White Queen is the Red Queen's younger sister.  The White Queen is very concerned with never hurting any living thing and with trying to be nice.  She clearly is nicer than her sister, but she isn't playing with a full deck either.  There is a slightly crazed look in her eyes at times, and she moves and holds her arms in odd ways, almost like a ballet dancer would.  Anne Hathaway does a good job with the part.  Christopher Lee briefly turns up providing the voice of Jabberwocky, a fierce creature.

Main Cast
        
Helena Bonham Carter - Red Queen
Johnny Depp - Mad Hatter   
Stephen Fry - Voice of Cheshire Cat
Crispin Glover - Knave of Hearts
Michael Gough - Voice of Dodo Bird
Anne Hathaway - White Queen
Christopher Lee - Voice of Jabberwocky
Matt Lucas - Tweedledee and Tweedledum   
Alan Rickman - Voice of Blue Caterpillar.
Michael Sheen - Voice of White Rabbit
Mia Wasikowska - Alice
Paul Whitehouse - Voice of March Hare

Tim Burton - Director

This version of Alice in Wonderland is wonderfully entertaining with amazing visuals and a great cast.  The story is a bit different which might turn off some people.  Fans of Johnny Depp or Tim Burton should give it a chance.

This review is part of CaptainD's Good Movies EpiGuide 3 Write Off.

*This review was orignally posted after I saw the movie in the theater. It is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.

Johnny Depp Reviews
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ~ Chocolat ~ From Hell ~ The Ninth Gate ~ Once Upon a Time in Mexico ~ Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl ~ Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest ~ Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End ~ Public Enemies ~ Secret Window ~ Sleepy Hollow ~ Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street ~ Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Deluxe Edition) Soundtrack ~ Tim Burton's Corpse Bride ~

Recommended: Yes