We saw Alice in Wonderland in 3D this weekend. Neither one of us knew what to expect, but both agreed the previews looked scary and creepy. We grabbed our popcorn, pop (with caffeine – a nice treat for me!), 3D glasses, and headed into the theater. I was happy to see that the glasses were black plastic and not the red and blue lense paper ones you typically see on tv. I tried on my oversized glasses only to have Bryan immediately laugh and make me promise to take them home so he could take a picture of me. (I did bring them home, but you’ll see a picture of him before me!)
I’m still undecided on my overall rating of the movie. I don’t usually like Tim Burton movies so I think I’ll probably throw this into the pile and move on with life. I had zero expectations going into the movie and honestly thought it was going to include the Alice I knew from childhood. My first surprise was to see that Alice was 20 and of marrying age.
The movie wasn’t exactly predictive, but looking back now, it doesn’t feel that solid. It’s has the classic good witch, evil witch plot. I’m not sure if all Burton movies are written for kids to follow, but I feel like it was written with children in mind so the plot is simple and easy to follow. Much like a crime show on tv leads the audience and makes them think they can predict what’s going to happen. You knew Alice would wind up the hero. It’s assumed that along the way she’ll learn a life lesson and become a different person. So, she became a hero and then figured out what she wanted in life. And everyone lives happier every after…
I will say that the Mad Hatter was scary looking! I’m usually a proponent of red hair, but this red hair was over the top. His eye make-up was amazing and I almost leaned over multiple times to tell Bryan that. I loved the use of color and they way it changed from day-to-day. I found myself constantly trying to figure out what he was saying and that was a little frustrating for me. I know part of his dialog was gibberish, but I’m used to understanding characters. I found that I couldn’t understand some of the other characters at times also. I won’t even get into my frustration of not even knowing who some characters were! That’s my own fault, but I felt like you had to remember the characters to fully follow which side they were really on.
I’m not convinced that 3D made the movie more enjoyable, but they did a good job of using color. I think the colorful outfits, characters, and objects help entice viewers and provide a more enjoyable experience. I’m not sold on the movie, but I have decided that I need to buy the book for Little Baby Leger. This creative piece is perfect for children and their immense imaginations!
