Alice in Wonderland in 3-D!

Bit of background required, methinks.

(1) I love Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Read them many times when I was wee and still enjoyed them on a recent re-reading.
(2) I like Tim Burton's films. I'm pretty well-disposed to the man. Accusing him of making films that are style over substance (which he often gets) misses the point somewhat. I also can forgive him for casting his wife and his best mate in virtually everything that he does...they usually get things right.

So, I wanted this to work...I was really hoping that it would be good. I was, admittedly, worried it would be awful - with, I think, some justification - but I was willing to give it a chance.

Unfortunately, it was pretty terrible. I didn't think anybody acquitted themselves particularly well in it. Michelle reckons that Helana Bonham-Carter was the only one who was any good - I suppose we can give her that - so it's not a total washout. I like Johnny Depp, he's usually good value for money - in this, however, it was just a bit of "I'm mad, me" schtick (yes, yes, I know he was the Mad Hatter, it just wasn't very mad...it was, well, mugging).

Mia Wasikowska, as Alice, was an odd choice. Given that the character was supposed to be an independently minded young woman, her unconventional father's daughter, raging against an oppressive societies strictures, it seemed odd to cast someone that appeared to be such a milquetoast. Awful...just awful.

Wasn't a great fan of it visually, either. Can anybody say "green screen"? One thing that you can usually say about Burton is that he has a fairly distinctive visual style. This, however, was (naturally, I suppose) filmed with some parts which really added nothing apart from an opportunity to show off this new-fangled 3-D thingy. In spite of the attempt to splash a load of psychedelic (but world in decay) colour on the screen, it just felt dull and bland. Oh, and that stupid battle at the end reminded me of a video game (I like video games, but they are not the same thing as movies, utter cack to watch passively).

Didn't enjoy the "some time later" piss, either. I would have much rather that they stuck to the book or had the courage of their convictions and done a "based on" that was a much looser re-imagining. This just felt like a half-way there piece of nonsense.

It's not the worst film ever (that's Crank 2: High Voltage) but it is a towering disappointment. Go see something good instead like A Prophet or A Single Man. Both undoubtedly flawed films, but they at least have much to recommend them!

Never mind, dinner in the Dhabba was as good as ever!

Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit