Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland is great entertainment, a little scary for the little ones
Rating: 4 Stars
By Gabrielle Pantera
“I can remember reading the books when I was a kid but it was a super condensed version,” say Alice in Wonderland star Johnny Depp. “Then, obviously, the Disney animated version took over. But because the stories are so episodic, abstract and all over the place, what I remember more than anything is just the characters and how those characters stick with you for some reason. Even people who haven’t read the book know all the characters.”
The White Queen, played by Anne Hathaway, appears to be all sweetness and light, beneath the surface there’s a hint of darkness to her character. “She comes from the same gene pool as the Red Queen,” says Hathaway. “She really likes the dark side, but she’s so scared of going too far into it that she’s made everything appear very light and happy. But she’s living in that place out of fear that she won’t be able to control herself.”
Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland features a grown-up Alice, played by Mia Wasikowska, who returns to Wonderland for some unfinished business and to find out who she really is. Alice doesn’t remember being there before, but it all seems very familiar. As the story progresses she gets her “muchness” back she’d lost when she grew up. In the end she’s a stronger person for it.
From the trailers you may think Alice will be very dark, but it’s a delight and visually pleasing. The story and plot move along at a good clip and you stay engaged through out the entire move. There are few dark moments, but they are action scenes that move quickly. Definitely one to get for your Blu-ray collection.
Alice in Wonderland
* Disney 3-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack
* Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy
* Release date: June 1, 2010
* Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
* Cost: Blu-ray set $44.99, 1-Disc Blu-ray $39.99, 1-Disc DVD $29.99
