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I never really understood "Alice in Wonderland", I watched the cartoon Disney version, and the miniseries that came out a few years ago with Martin Short, Whoopi Goldberg and Gene Wilder, which was just as confusing as the book. I think my problem with the original Alice was that there never seemed to be any purpose to her travels. She just wondered into this world because she was bored and followed a White Rabbit.
This version had me pleased from the start, although I came in perhaps 5 minutes late to see Jack proposing. Having not understood the story before, I came in not knowing who Jack was, the extent of the Hatter's oddness, or even why I should find Alice interesting.
This Alice was a modern woman and it made me happy to see that. She didn't just sit there crying that she wanted to go home, she was determined to find her man and wasn't leaving until she did, even when everyone told her it might be best to just go.
For those who think the Hatter de-aged as time wore on, I don't think he was the same Mad Hatter that Alice met at the tea party. It seems to me that there might be other Hatters, he even states that the reason they call him Hatter is that he's there when people "Pass the hat". Hatter is just a term, it may not even be his real name.
This wonderland was interesting and ever changing, if missing some of the characters. It kept me interested and actually gave Alice a story, which I felt was missing every time I tried to pick it up. The original seemed more of just a display of different characters, short skits to pass the time but not really making any sense.
The ending was a bit rushed, mainly because it is a mini-series after all. The queen is mad, remember, so she would be fooled by the fake army. The king does what the queen commands, so I don't really think he would argue with her. He doesn't even look out the window, so it could be he never even saw the army. And the guards, well they don't want to lose there heads now do they? I think that this really could become a series if syfy (what is with that anyway) wanted to make it. They could flesh out the characters more and have more adventures.
And I enjoyed the ending. He had clearly missed her, and more time passes in Wonderland than in the short time in the real world. Something tells me maybe he had a little tiff with Jack about letting him come to her.
While the effects got tedious after awhile, for syfy I think this was a terrific effort. The Tim Burton version seems like it will be leaning TOO heavily on effects in my opinion, as Burton has had a tendency to do lately by giving us flashy sets to distract us from bad story (case in point, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).
Oh and for whoever said that Hatter's outfit seemed to be made after Depp's? What planet are you from? Depp's is over the top and crazy with many colors and just so much flashyness. Hatter's is suited for travel and looks comfortable with muted colors. Because the world had changed from this magical beautiful place when the original Alice came with no purpose, all the colors of characters and places a like were more muted and made the actors, not the sets and costumes, stand out.
A different battle scene was all this beautiful story needed.
Good job syfy, this was an amazing effort and it wasn't a let down at all.
9/10
score /10
Maeusemagic 9 December 2009
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2171179/ |
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22-11-2019 09:39:36
