Alice in Wonderland (2010)


Now let's take a look at Disney's live-action Alice in Wonderland.

The Movie:

 This is the movie that kick-started Disney's string of live-action adaptations of their animated classics.  Alice in Wonderland was directed by Tim Burton.  It received mix reviews, but did incredibly well at the box-office, at the time become the 5th highest grossing film ever.  (It currently comes in at 31, which just goes to show how many blockbusters have come out in the last 8 years.)  Alice in Wonderland won two Oscars, Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design.

Unlike some of the movies that came after it, this is not a remake of the animated version or retelling of the Lewis Carroll novels.  Instead, this movie functions as a quasi-sequel.  In this version, Alice is now a 19-year-old haunted by the same recurring dream and the recent death of her father, who owned a trading company.  She is brought to the manor of her father's former business partner Lord Ascot, as his son intends to propose to her.  Unsure of how to respond to the unwanted proposal, Alice spots the White Rabbit and follows him down a hole into Underland, which she had visited as a child and called "Wonderland," though she has forgotten.  Underland is now under the oppressive rule of the Red Queen, and in order to help place the White Queen in power, Alice must find the vorbal sword and defeat the Jabberwocky.

Ok, so this Alice in Wonderland isn't great, but generally speaking I like the movie.  The general concept of an adult Alice returning to Wonderland offers much to explore, and this movie has some fun with the lore of the Carroll books.  However, at times the story gets a bit convoluted, and the end of the movie turns into a generic action movie.  Visually he movie looks great and the effects are nicely done.  The acting is somewhat inconsistent, ranging from over-the-top to rather bland.  Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter and Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen can be a bit much at times.  I do like the way the character of Alice is written, and I think normally Mia Wasikowska is a fine actress, but here her performance comes off as rather reserved and bland.  (I wonder if this was an intentional choice from the director.)

The score to Alice in Wonderland is written by Burton's usual collaborator, Danny Elfman.  His score here is nice if not especially memorable.  The song "Alice," written and performed by Avril Lavigne, plays over the credits.

Presence in the Parks:

 This Alice in Wonderland inspired a nighttime event called the Mad T Party in the Hollywood Land section of California Adventure.  This event included a live band, dance music, an arcade, and a cocktail club.  It first ran 2012-2014 and again 2015-2016.

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