Dear readers, I want to tell you that this is my first movie review. I hope you will like it! :)
I think that you have all read “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass” by Lewis Carroll. Like many people would say: “Read the book, then watch the movie!” “Alice in Wonderland”, the movie, was released on the 5th of March, 2010. It is directed by Tim Burton.
The story starts like this: Charles Kingsleigh, Alice’s father, has a discussion with some other gentlemen:
“Lord Ascot: Charles, you have finally lost your senses. This venture is impossible.
Charles Kingsleigh: For some. Gentlemen, the only way to achieve the impossible is to believe it is possible.
Another gentleman: That kind of thinking could ruin you.
Charles Kingsleigh: I’m willing to take that chance.”
Suddenly, Alice (Mia Wasikowska) comes to her father and tells him that she has a strange dream:
“Alice: I’m falling down a dark hole. Then, I see strange creatures.
Charles Kingsleigh: What kind of creatures?
Alice: Well, there’s a dodo bird, a rabbit in a waistcoat, a smiling cat...
Charles Kingsleigh: I didn’t know cats could smile.
Alice: Neither did I. And there’s a blue caterpillar.
Charles Kingsleigh: Blue caterpillar. Hmmm...
Alice: Do you think I’ve gone round the bend?
Charles Kingsleigh: I’m afraid so. You’re mad bonkers off your head. But let me tell you a secret: all the best people are.
Alice: (giggles)
Charles Kingsleigh: It’s only a dream, Alice. Nothing can harm you there. But if you get too frightened, you can always wake up, like this... (pinches Alice’s arm)
Alice: Ow! (smiles)”
After a few years, Charles Kingsleigh dies. And this is not the only problem Alice has got: she has to marry Hamish, Lord Ascot’s son. Alice doesn’t want to marry Hamish... Margaret, Alice’s sister, keeps saying, “You’ll soon be twenty, Alice. That pretty face won’t last forever.” But Alice doesn’t have time to listen. She thinks of other important stuff such as... her strange dream. “It’s always the same, ever since I can remember”, says Alice. She is not sure if it is normal to have the same dream over and over...
When Hamish asks Alice, “Will you be my wife?”, Alice doesn’t respond. She runs away... after the white rabbit wearing the waistcoat! She falls down a dark hole and arrives in Wonderland.
There are a lot of problems in Wonderland... The Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) has the White Queen’s crown and now, she rules over the entire land. No one is safe here... Jabberwocky, the Red Queen’s pet monster, has to be killed by Alice with the Vorpal sword on the Frabjous Day! Alice refuses to do such a thing!
Let’s not forget that everyone in Wonderland is mad. The Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), the March Hare, the Cheshire Cat and the Dormouse are the maddest characters in this story! The March Hare keeps throwing plates and spoons everywhere, shouting, “You’re all late for tea!” The Cheshire Cat smiles a lot and likes the Mad Hatter’s hat very much. The Dormouse laughs most of the time. The Mad Hatter says mad things all day:
“Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?”
“I’ve been considering things that begin with the letter M. Moron. Mutiny. Murder. Mmm-malice.”
“Twinkle, twinkle, little bat
How I wonder where you’re at.
Up above the world you fly
Like a tea tray in the sky.”
“You were much more “muchier”... You’ve lost your muchness!”
Alice has to get the Vorpal sword from the Red Queen’s castle. She calls herself “Um” and becomes “friends” with the Red Queen. That way, no one can bother her or try to stop her from taking the Vorpal sword:
“Red Queen: And what is this?
White Rabbit: It’s a who, Your Majesty. It’s, um...
Red Queen: Um?
Alice: From Umbridge.”
After a few adventures, Alice manages to get the Vorpal sword. She is ready to fight with Jabberwocky:
“My father used to believe in six impossible things before breakfast. Six impossible things. Count them, Alice. One: there are drinks that make you shrink. Two: there is food that makes you shrink. Three: animals can talk. Four: cats can disappear. Five: there is a place called Wonderland. Six: I can slay Jabberwocky.”
My favorite part from the movie is when the White Queen (Anne Hathaway) gets her crown back. The Red Queen is banished from Wonderland forever. Alice has to leave, too:
“Mad Hatter: You could stay.
Alice: What an idea. A mad, crazy, wonderful idea. But I can’t.”
Anyway, the movie has a happy ending, so everything turns out just fine! :)
My favorite character from the film was the Blue Caterpillar. You might say that it’s not an important character, but you’re wrong...
At the beginning of the movie, Alice saves the Blue Caterpillar from being hurt by Hamish. In Wonderland, the two of them meet:
“Absolem (the caterpillar): Who are you?
Alice: Absolem?
Absolem: You’re not Absolem. I’m Absolem. The question is, who are you?
Alice: Alice.
Absolem: We shall see.
Alice: What do you mean by that? I ought to know who I am.
Absolem: Yes, you ought, stupid girl.”
Alice keeps saying that Wonderland is nothing, but a dream. That’s why everyone thinks that Alice isn’t the right person who is supposed to kill Jabberwocky. Absolem has the same opinion.
In the end, Alice finally realizes that everything is real: the Hatter and his friends, the Cheshire Cat, the Red and White Queens... Jabberwocky as well. Absolem is glad to hear all this and says: “Alice! At last.”
Right when the movie ends, a blue butterfly lands on Alice’s shoulder. Alice smiles and says to the butterfly: “Hello, Absolem.” From a small, helpless caterpillar, Absolem transforms into a big, beautiful butterfly. Absolem holds Alice’s dream about Wonderland. When he is a caterpillar, Alice doesn’t believe in Wonderland. But when he is a butterfly, Alice realizes that everything is real!
This movie is great and I would recommend it to anyone who likes Alice’s adventures! :)
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