Subjected myself to 108 minutes of utter tedium last night in Leicester Square watching Alice in Wonderland. Having high hopes for this film, as Burton never usually fails to deliver especially on the creepy unsettling factor that this story deserves, I was rather disappointed. I didn't actually believe it was possible to disneyfy the story anymore than it already was, but it was taken to the point of absurd sugary sweetness.
The first thing that struck me was that the plot must have been made solely for young children. However that's just an insult to children. It was like Burton had absolutely no faith in the viewer whatsoever to be able to follow a story unless it was completely lateral. I sat there in disbelief as they started by essentially telling you exactly what was going to happen. Not only was the plot lacking but everything was ridiculously overdone. Just in case you didn't catch on that everyone was meant to be mad, Burton might as well of had everyone holding signposts, each character was made to be completely over the top. It wasn't enough to rely on Johnny Depp's acting, oh no, he had to have a wavering accent, bizarre hair, garish make-up, questionable attire and luminous eyes. Emphasis was clearly put on trying to wow us with the graphics, but it ended up appearing rather flat and lifeless. You never got a feel that wonderland was very big. It was all rather soulless and had little depth.
Every thing about this film was ludicrously over the top.... that is all accept Alice's performance (I don't think her face moved in the entire film). Oh and then there were all the fluffy little animals and all the 'good guys' in wonderland bounding around to help Alice out on her quest. The only good part in the entire film was the Chesire cat... but then I just really like cats. As the film ended and I thought the torment was over I heard Avril Lavigne's whiny voice blare across the cinema. I couldn't leave fast enough. Really Tim Burton, sometimes less IS more and I thought you of all people would have realized this story isn't a sweet one.
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