With a source material so familiar, even to those whose knowledge is second hand references, there needs to be a degree of innovation (as in Svenkmejer's dark stop-motion version, or the co-opting of Terry Gilliam in to his "Tideland" narrative), or else a studious and inspired adaptation that completely returns to Lewis Carroll. It seems intent on driving us to a narrative conclusion that few people will have had much stake in through its running time, simply because we're not giving much to care for. This film grounds them, drains them of that mystery and leaves us with a colourful but forgettable retread. The book revels in its bizarre environs, absurd dialogue and whimsical characters. Now we're left exploring a CGI wonderland that seems to be without a great deal of wonder. Sure, it's weird looking, but we've seen it before, and back then in films like Edward Scissorhands it had a sense of purpose. The cast acquit themselves well, especially considering the noted difficulty in emoting to a tennis ball on a stick, but all their tics and quirks seem to be masking a void at the centre of what should be a free-floating, evocative trip. But, even as someone with a lot of time for his films, and a pre-existing bias, I couldn't really connect with this.
This was my first feature experience, and working for Tim Burton was a hell of a way to start. I attended the Cast and Crew screening on Sunday, in Leicester Square, with high hopes for this film as it's without doubt the most exciting job I've had.
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