Alice in Wonderland

**1/2 Stars

There's no denying Alice in Wonderland's ambitious attempts at recreating the magic of the 1951 original, but with a collaboration as appropriate as Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, it's hard not to say that this visual-trip falls short of its expectations. Although it's certainly not a failure by any means (and for many, it's certainly worthy of admission), it fails to produce a story worthy of future remembrance.

I always admired Burton and Depp for their ability to adapt familiar stories into a creation of their own (including Sleepy Hallow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Sweeney Todd, among others). Perhaps this is why it felt so right when this duo began to tackle this Disney classic. Depp plays the Mad Hatter, who is surprised to find that Alice (Mia Wasikowska) has returned to wonderland 13 years after the original (this isn't a sequel, but rather more of a re-imagining). Alice, now at the age of 19, is the daughter of a very wealthy family who escapes to Wonderland on the afternoon of her marriage proposal. When she arrives, she has forgotten her previous experiences, so everything is new to her.

It's interesting to watch Alice try and rediscover the rules of Wonderland such as the drink that shrinks her and the cake that enlarges her. The first 45 minutes of the movie include some very interesting characters and humorous scenes, but as Alice makes her way further into Wonderland the magic that was once sprinkled all over this place wears out. Especially in the third act.

I never give away an ending to a film in a review, and I won't start here, but the third act of Alice in Wonderland ruins any chance of letting the film become memorable. Instead of continuing down the path of visual wonders, new characters, and Alice's experience, she is shoved into a Chronicles of Narnia like situation that runs the rest of the movie's runtime amok. Helena Bonham Carter is an inspired choice to play the Red-Queen, but there's only so many times one can say, "Off with his head!" and still find it funny. Anne Hathaway is almost reduced to cameo status as the White Queen, who wants us Alice to fulfill the prophecy and take down the evil Red Queen. The Mad Hatter and other familiar characters including Tweedledum & Tweedledee, the White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat, and Abosolom the Caterpillar, all help Alice on her journey to discover what was once thought of as a dream, has now become real.

I was never bored by Alice in Wonderland, and on a visual scale, it's captivating, but I think this simply proves once again that in order to have a great film, one must have great visuals along a great story (yes, this has to do with my defending of Avatar). In Alice's case, she has been reduced to a pond in a visual game. It's a good thing the game is worthy of spectators, especially in a movie theater.