Alice im Wunderland

Ein innerlich steriler Disney-Spielfilm mit einer soliden Produktion, ausgezeichneten Masken und nur einem halben Engagement von Tim Burton. (14.03.2010)

When the most likeable character in a fairytale is the main villain, it’s impossible to avoid the feeling that something went bloody wrong. Alice in Wonderland is a run-of-the-mill film in every aspect, though some people may appreciate Burton’s signature, even if here it’s neutered. Not me, though. Kids will probably like it, it’s not utterly bad. (01.06.2010)

Burton didn't tell a story, he simply narrated. The most frequently asked question by me was why the film is not fully animated, since everything is as artificial as the interior of a Chinese car. In the overload of "Burton-esque visuals," completely in CGI, everything is lost... except for Mia Wasikowska, who carries the whole confused (!!) mess to the end. This time, that’s liberation. It’s sterile, boring, kitschy, plastic... the perfect repellent for viewer empathy. (16.05.2010)

Burton's creation is closer to a girl's CGI version of The Neverending Story than the "real" Alice. This is not bad, nor is it good, it's simply simple, and a bit of a sad statement considering the potential of the source material. (07.03.2010)

The renowned king of bizarre worlds finally embarked on the most famous journey, and although he couldn't live up to the huge fan expectations, he certainly pleased with a trip with slight modifications of the classic story. However, surprisingly, everything depends on how much attention Johnny Depp attracts. His Mad Hatter is not just a supporting character, but an equal protagonist who almost outshines the amazingly furious Red Queen or the likeable Alice herself. 75% Spoileroid PS: Even I was surprised by how much I was saddened until the confirmation of the second part, that Burton didn't completely go against the rules and didn't let Alice stay with the Mad Hatter. That unspoken romantic bond was screaming for it. (05.03.2010)

In terms of its aesthetics and costumes, the film is charming... the characters are slightly off, but even that adds to its uniqueness. For me, Tim Burton has succeeded again! (30.10.2010)

It's very hard to review this film because a five-star scale is too narrow in this case to express feelings. On one hand, Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland is certainly mainstream, as the strong influence of Walt Disney Studios is indisputable in shaping the final form of the film. This Alice is simply much more epic than its literary predecessor and corresponds to the classic model of the battle between good and evil, with stereotypical fairy tale characters. The studio has already tried this pattern many times and will definitely not change it because of Lewis Carroll's fans. So Alice fights a dragon and cannot avoid a romantic motif. On the other hand, it is unnecessary to blame Tim Burton for succumbing to commercial temptations and selling his artistic vision to Walt Disney Studios. In the American concept, the director is merely a craftsman, the owner of the work, and the actual creator is effectively the producer, who can dictate. We do not know what Alice would have been if it were made as an independent film, but it would probably be much less elaborate and might not even exist. Tim Burton might be able to produce it if it were exclusively an animated film. Even in this studio version, there is plenty to see, as the visuals are not bad at all, and there are several excellent special effects. Most likely, children will like it, as it was written by Lewis Carroll as a fairy tale for children. Those who seek artistic depth and an adult version will have to look elsewhere. If I were to criticize Burton for being too Disney-like, then I would discard the Disney version from 1951 altogether. The fact is that intellectual depth and ambiguity are missing in the newest adaptation of Alice, but it is still a grand and enjoyable spectacle. Overall impression: 75%. (11.03.2010)

Ich begrüße Geschichten, die von den Geschichten aus dem Disney-Portfolio abgeleitet sind und etwas Neues bieten (z. B. Schneewittchen oder Maleficent, zusätzlich zu Alice). So entstand 1951 Disneys Version von Alice im Wunderland, und fast 60 Jahre später wurde die Geschichte um eine Fortsetzung erweitert. Nun lernen wir Alice kennen, die kein Mädchen mehr ist, sondern ein neunzehnjähriges Mädchen, das bald heiraten könnte. Und was der Zufall nicht wollte, sie wurde wieder einmal von einem weißen Kaninchen in die Welt der Herzkönigin, des Hutmachers und anderer seltsamer Gestalten gelockt. Lewis Carroll wäre wahrscheinlich überrascht gewesen, wenn man ihm 1865 gesagt hätte, wie inspirierend seine Alice sein würde. Ich mag Burtons Filme nicht sonderlich, manche gefallen mir mehr, andere weniger, im Falle von Alice bin ich zufrieden, dass er alles richtig gemacht hat: Elfman im Aufnahmestudio, Depp und Bonham Carter vor der Kamera. (24.08.2019)

Der schwächste Burton überhaupt. Leider ist es so. Der Film Alice im Wunderland ist langwierig (Schwung hat er eigentlich nur in den Momenten, in denen die aufgeputzten Bilder das Motiv von Danny Elfman begleitet, welches man nach langer Zeit als gelungen bezeichnen kann) und zu digital. Außerdem gibt es in dem Film – bis auf zwei Ausnahmen (der Abschied vom Hutmacher, der digitale Hund und seine Familie) – keine Emotionen. Positive Aspekte: Die bereits erwähnte Musik (einschließlich des Liedes von Avril Lavigne), Helena Bonham Carter, die tolle Grinsekatze und ein paar witzige Momente. Ansonsten eigentlich nichts, was mir sogar ein bisschen leidtut.__PS: Die Rückkehr in das Märchenreich ist viel, viel besser Spielbergs Hook gelungen. (17.08.2010)

Tim Burton is hands down the most interesting director of our time and every one of his films is worth watching at least once. While some of them didn't do much for me (Mars Attacks, Beetlejuice), others are among the best I've seen so far (Sleepy Hollow, Ed Wood). This one is somewhere in between, it didn't impress me, but given the premise it was a pleasant surprise. The story is a bit secondary anyway, the main thing are the amazing sets, the make-up effects, the music and of course the performances led by Depp and Bonham Carter (hats off to the great dubbing). If it all formed a traditional, Burton-esque unconventional whole, I'd give it four stars without blinking an eye, but Alice is mostly overstuffed with that uninhibited, sterile form that any filmmaker who isn't afraid to break free from his chains, even though he doesn't have much to say, would produce, and in this case, that’s a disappointment... (03.01.2012)

Als Kind war ich kein Fan des Buches, also lief ich logischerweise auch nicht ins Kino, als Tim Burton das berühmte Buch auf die Leinwand brachte. Umso mehr habe ich den Film ungeplant Jahre später genossen. Die Geschichte unterscheidet sich von der Buchvorlage, sie ist nicht langweilig und bietet ein traditionelles visuelles Vergnügen. Anne Hathaway als Weiße Königin ist unglaublich schön, die leichte Dunkelheit in ihr wird sehr dezent angedeutet. Helena Bonham Carter ist herrlich abstoßend. Viele berühmte britische Schauspieler*innen bieten nur ihre Stimme, aber selbst das reicht aus. (14.10.2023)

I had a great time. The film was off the rails just like the book on which it was based. Mia Wasikowska was extremely convincing, Anne Hathaway was hilarious, and I’m not exactly a fan of hers, Johnny Depp was at his wackiest, Helena Bonham Carter was fantastic ("I need a pig here!” and "Off with their heads!" – brilliant) and Crispin Glover was sleazy to the core. Except for a few minor details, I was satisfied. (20.11.2016)

The movie excited me in the cinema, but mainly because of the colorful orgies. Yes, who wouldn't like a bit of kitsch here and there. But then the film got stuck in my head and personally, I consider it one of the worst that Tim Burton has made. Depp has found the right role for himself again here. And he is great, he is funny. And he is the same as in his recent films, although the mask is different. The visual orgies are beautiful, but the main Alice did not find the right performer in Mia. Actually, she quite successfully opposes me. This is simply something that didn't sit well with me. Great actors, interesting role, but why does it have to be an adaptation of "Alice"? In terms of plot, it's just another Hollywood spectacle. (06.01.2014)

Alice in Wonderland is undoubtedly one of the weaker efforts from the workshop of the master of imagination Tim Burton. On the one hand, it actually seems quite paradoxical: a work like this, when rewritten as a film, certainly offers considerable avenues for portrayal, plenty of room for self-expression, and is directly built for directorial exhibition. Unfortunately, the whole film leaves a rather faint impression in terms of directing and inevitably gives the impression that Burton had the whole process of filming very precisely mapped out in advance and thus left his authorial imprint only to a very limited extent (though hints of Burtonian poetry and humor thankfully do appear here and there). The bright side of the whole project for me remains the fabulous performance of Helena Bonham Carter and a few funny moments. Even Danny Elfman's music is not as impressive as usual this time around. Burton's most divisive film in the last ten years of his career. (27.10.2011)