This tale is not as black and white as you might expect from reading the title. The film takes place 13 years after Alice’s first trip to ‘Wonderland’ (the name of which she appears to have misheard previously, as you shall see), as a now 19-year-old Alice is poised to be engaged into a somewhat loveless relationship. Alice is played by newcomer Mia Wasikowska, who does a very good job among such esteemed company, including many home-grown talents, such as Matt Lucas, Barbara Windsor, Alan Rickman and Johnny Depp’s favourite actor, Paul Whitehouse. Speaking of Mr. Depp, he makes a welcome return to crazy characters with the ‘mad’ hatter, who has a severe split personality disorder, with a very dark, very Scottish side. Unsurprisingly in a Tim Burton film (though very welcome), fiancé Helen Bonham-Carter plays a big role, this time as the evil Red Queen, who has taken over the whole of ‘Wonderland’. As expected, even for a tale such as ‘Alice in Wonderland’, this version has a dark edge to it. In 3D, the film is OK, but the only real benefit was having the March Hare (Whitehouse) throwing things at the audience. If you haven’t seen it do so, but don’t bother forking out extra for the 3D.
Andrew M Ward
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