‘Alice in Wonderland’ astounds viewers with outlandish visuals
Zack Becker, Opinion Editor
March 9, 2010
Filed under A&E, Movie Reviews
“Sometimes I think of six impossible things before breakfast time.” This is a quote from the new movie, ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ released Mar. 5. It also happens to be a quote from the original book–which is a good sign. ‘Alice in Wonderland’ is another Tim Burton film, its score another by Danny Elfman and it stars Johnny Depp. The three people seem to have some connection as they are often together for movies.
This movie is based not only on Lewis Caroll’s most famous book, ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,’ but it takes elements from another book, ‘Through the Looking Glass,’ as well. Tim Burton has also added a bit of a back story (which is one of his trademarks) in order to provide more structure to the plot. This movie supposedly takes place 13 years after Alice’s first visit to Wonderland: she is invited to a party where she will be proposed to. She is undecided about getting engaged and so she runs off, only to fall down the renowned rabbit hole.
There she meets all the classical characters from the original books. Johnny Depp plays the Madhatter, who is just that: he is half-delusional and often speaks in riddles. Parts of acting might remind those who have seen Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean. The rest of the main characters, the Cheshire Cat, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum and the Rabbit are all computer generated.
That’s the biggest thing about this movie. None of it is real. Alice and a very few other characters were untouched by computer graphics. All the sets, about ninety percent of the people and animals and all the landscapes are entirely computer-generated. Then again, it is hard to tell considering how advanced computer graphics have become these days. Everything just looks so real, even something as impossible as the Cheshire Cat, that it is difficult to draw the line between real and fake.
‘Alice in Wonderland’ is only the next big 3D movie to follow ‘Avatar,’ released late last year. The effects may not have been as astounding or as groundbreaking as in ‘Avatar,’ but they add to the experience nonetheless. It isn’t the same as the 3D effects of the past. In place of people and objects that pop out like cardboard cut-outs, the movie has been given depth as if the viewer is looking through a window not a pop-up book.
The movie wouldn’t be complete without a soundtrack by Danny Elfman. His twisted and ingenious themes always fit perfectly with Tim Burton’s dark and sinister worlds and storyline.
There were very few things bad about ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ At times, there were a few too many made-up words used by the characters. Also, Johnny Depp continually changed his accent so at points it was a bit hard to figure out what he was saying. Overall, this movie was a fantastical adventure and it deserves five out of five ‘Drink Me’ potions.
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