Same old same old from Tim Burton doesn’t amuse Peter

Editor’s note: Peter Lewis has agreed to use whatever it is you call his writing style to provide some measure of analysis to those folks who still go to a theater to see a movie. Enjoy.

review by Peter Lewis

It serves no purpose to compare Tim Burton’s interpretation of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to its literary predecessor. For starters, while Burton’s vision may approach the fantastic quality of the literature, it does not hold any of its magical charm. Further, it in no way, shape, or form follows the original stories. Instead, the literature is a mere prop, helping to stand the mad visions of Tim Burton through the idea of Alice.

Comparisons to the literature are as ridiculous as the scenario set forth by the film. Yet, even in light of such ludicrousness, the comparisons are still inevitable. The idea of Alice in Wonderland is far too ubiquitous to avoid associations. An attempt will be made, however, to keep needless comparisons to a minimum. With that slight preface out of the way, let us jump down our own rabbit hole and into the review.

In most reviews I am hesitant to reveal to much of the plot structure for fear of spoiling something. Since the notion of Alice is quite pervasive, any spoiler worries are a bit misplaced in this instance. Further, the universality of Alice precludes any cursory discussion of plot. Alice falls down a hole, fantasy ensues.

Aesthetically speaking, Alice in Wonderland is wonderful. From Alice’s haute-couture red dress to the Mad Hatters millinery concoctions, the film is a feast for the eyes, particularly so in 3D. But, as I argued a few months ago, a film rests on more than just spectacle. To truly succeed, a film must be compelling.

Alice’s shortcomings were in no part the fault of its players. Mia Wasikowska brought true charm to her role as Alice, while Helena Bonham Carter was strikingly believable as the cruel Red Queen. Further, Johnny Depp was his artfully mischievous self as the Mad Hatter. Despite these acceptable performances, a feeling of disingenuous originality dogged the entire production.

Tim Burton has long been known as a visionary director, perhaps as close to an auteur as we may claim to have in modern cinema. His oeuvre is populated with what may be labeled as “quirky” in the polite company of someone like proper Alice, but could just as easily be labeled as “bat-shit crazy” to others.

An auteur has a unique style, one that could be spotted from a mile away with faulty glasses. From Edward Scissorhands and The Corpse Bride to Beetlejuice and Sweeney Todd, Burton succeeds in that realm. Unfortunately, highly stylistic films like the aforementioned can tend to run together. What was once exciting and bold becomes staid and predictable. In that sense, Alice in Wonderland is a bit of a failure. As beautiful as the 3D creations are, the overall feeling is nothing new. There is no verve … just motions.

Blame must be placed solely on the flimsy shoulders of the story itself. While there is nothing inherently wrong with the mashing of source materials, a story must hold an element of tension within it. When one watches Alice in Wonderland, there is no question of the outcome. We all know the story. Good triumphs. Instead of accepting the self-evident nature of their tale, the creators tried to unearth themselves from the obviousness through a flimsy concoction of repetitive life paths and unrealized manifest destinies. In short, they attempted to create a false tension by casting Alice in the unwanted role of a victorious champion, a savior to the peace of Underland.

This vision of Alice is quite different from previous versions. Alice is still very much the boldly well-mannered young English woman, but Burton envisions something more for her. In most cases, the fairy tale ends with Alice returning home to England. Mr. Burton decided to extend the fantasies into Alice’s life in England as well. Her adventures in Wonderland were but a beginning for those as a burgeoning feminist and business woman (Dragon slayer or not, as Alice boarded a departing trading vessel, I couldn’t help but imagine the horrific things that might befall a young, unescorted woman on ship full of hardened sailors in the middle portion of the 19th Century. Further, there is rich irony in her closing foray into Imperialistic colonialism given her supposed mindset).

It is these final portions of the film that completely derail it. What was quite a pleasing cinematic experience quickly devolves into an every story. What was always so appealing about Alice was the uniqueness of her story, however simple it may have been. The contrived nature of the climactic showdown and the rather ridiculous interpretation of Alice strip away the inherent magic,  leaving the audience with a distorted and unrealized possibilities.

• Alice in Wonderland is playing at the Carmike 14 and the Malco Cinema 12 in Fort Smith, and the Malco Van Buren Cinema. Link here for time and ticket info.

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