CASEY PHILLIPS: When director Tim Burton released his 2005 reimagining of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" starring Johnny Depp, some thought it deviated too much from Roald Dahl's novel, while others felt it was a brilliant, if demented, revision. Substitute "Alice in Wonderland" and Lewis Carroll where appropriate, and you'll have a decent idea how Burton's latest project will be received.
I'm growing tired of Burton's continued reliance on Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp. They're fine actors, but Depp has been knotted to Burton's apron strings since 1990's "Edward Scissorhands" and Bonham Carter (Burton's domestic partner) since 2001's "Planet of the Apes."
As expected, Depp's Mad Hatter is suitably mad, and Bonham Carter's self-conscious, enormously noggined Red Queen is passable, if shrill, but the repetitious casting runs contrary to the adventurous creativity evident in Burton's delightfully skewed take on Wonderland.
HOLLY LEBER: Burton put his signature twisted look on the film. Featuring lots of muted gray and blue tones, "Alice" was pretty to look at, but the dark take on the story didn't quite work. Apparently screenwriter Linda Woolverton wanted to shed her memories of writing for "My Little Pony" and "The Popples" in the '80s.
Spoiler alert: "Wonderland" is a misnomer. The place is actually called "Underland" in this film. Very Tim Burton, yes, but I would have rather seen a more traditional Alice story with the weird and wacky Burton look.
Most of us remember "Alice" from childhood. I'm not overly keen on the "heroine of children's story goes back to magical land only to find that it's a dark and dismal place." Very "Return to Oz."
REVIEWED THIS WEEKMovie: "Alice in Wonderland."Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway and Crispin Glover.Rating: PG for fantasy action/violence, involving scary images and situations and for a smoking caterpillar.Synopsis: Alice comes back to Wonderland 13 years later with no memories of her first trip. Things are not well there, and she sets about fulfilling a prophecy concerning her return.critics' ratingsCasey Phillips: 3 out of 5 starsHolly Leber: 3 out of 5 stars
CASEY: Pegging relative newcomer Mia Wasikowska as Alice is an exception to Burton's otherwise timid casting. Her switchbacks between forthright certainty and utter confusion are exactly what you'd expect from a girl trapped in a waking dream. Other cast highlights include Anne Hathaway as the White Queen, Matt Lucas as Tweedles Dum and Dee and a bit part by Alan Rickman (!) as the chain-smoking caterpillar Absolem.
HOLLY: From recent turns as a budding aviatrix in "Amelia" and a pie-sweet redneck in "That Evening Sun," Wasikowska is coming out as a versatile young actress. She's tapped to play Jane Eyre next.
We were trying to predict what classic Burton would next put his spin on and guessed "The Wizard of Oz." Depp as the Scarecrow, Bonham Carter as the Witch of the West ... maybe Hathaway as Glinda? Or Dorothy?
Hey, maybe he'll bring back Winona Ryder, who last worked with Burton and Depp on "Edward Scissorhands," and for whom Depp has a famously edited tattoo.
"Wino Forever," right, Johnny?
CASEY: What a Frabjous Day that would be.