Stars Johnny Depp, Crispin Glover, Helena Bonham Carter, Mia Wasikoska, Matt Lucas, Stephen Fry

Who better to helm a new version of Alice in Wonderland than kooky director Tim Burton? Well, that’s precisely what Disney thought when they hired the man behind such weird and wonderful visually-stunning cinematic treats as stop-motion masterpieces

The Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride, as well as modern fantasy classics Edward Scissorhands and Sleepy Hollow.

And they certainly made the right decision, placing their trust in a man who has injected new life into a many-times-over-told literary classic.

Burton’s version of the Alice in Wonderland story is set several years later and Alice (Mia Wasikowska) has grown into a spirited 19-year-old fighting against her family’s plans to marry her off.

At the scene of a very public proposal of marriage, Alice once again follows the white rabbit (Michael Sheen), who has come to find her and bring her back to Wonderland – or Underland as the film insists it is actually called. Alice disappears down a hole in a tree, only to find herself back in the world about which she believes she dreamed as a child.

Her task in Underland – so it is prophesised – is to slay the fearsome Jabberwock and free the people from the tyrannical rule of the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter). Only Alice refuses to believe in the prophesy and nobody’s quite sure they’ve even got the right girl for the job.

Burton’s dark and distorted vision is a quasi-nightmarish version of Lewis Carroll’s original, with its unhinged – some might say deranged – collection of characters and sinister story, which makes for a refreshing and scintillating update of the well-loved children’s tale.

The wonderfully designed, sumptuous fantasy world is typically Burton in many ways. Both the CGI effects and the 3D format work brilliantly within the fantasy framework, immersing the viewer absolutely into the film’s imaginative land. 

Outstanding performances contribute much to the film’s success. Almost everyone strikes the perfect balance between humour and darkness, and each character seizes our interest, convincing and entertaining in equal measures.

Anne Hathaway as the White Queen has a cruel edge that makes her eminently watchable, while Johnny Depp brings his unique off-kilter approach to add a convincing touch of insanity and curious lovability to the Mad Hatter, creating a truly mesmerising character.

Mention should also go to Crispin Glover, who is sleazy and chilling as the film’s villain Stayne and Helena Bonham Carter, who seems to channel Miranda Richardson’s wonderful representation of Queen Elizabeth (Queenie) from Blackadder II.

Some superb vocal talent includes the already mentioned Michael Sheen as well as Stephen Fry, Christopher Lee, Alan Rickman, Barbara Windsor and Paul Whitehouse, among others. They round out a fabulous cast and lends the film a richness that might otherwise be lacking.

Tim Burton is proving to be extremely masterful at crafting astonishing and enduring children’s movies, the kind of tales that live on in children’s minds: tales that have a dark edge, that don’t patronise and that also appeal to adults.

Alice in Wonderland certainly fits that bill.

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