It’s been while for both myself and Alice Kinsley to return. Watching a movie at your local movie house is just exciting actually. I can’t afford the expensive TV screens, surround sound and 3D screen but what I can afford is a movie ticket of R40 to watch Alice Through The Looking Glass.

The cast of the first Alice movie return for this one with Mia Wasikowska playing Alice Kinsley. Alice is following in her father’s footsteps and is now the captain of “The Wonder”. She returns to London to find her mother has sold her shares in the company she works for as well as sold the deeds to their house to Alice’s ex finance, Lord Hamish Ascot.

The late Alan Rickman’s beloved character, the blue butterfly Abselom leads Alice backs to Underland to help save the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) or better known as Tarrant Hightopp. The White Queen (Anne Hathaway) informs Alice of the Mad Hatter’s condition and Alice has to help save her most truest friend. She has to deal with Time, played by the colourful Sacha Baron Cohen and steal his Chronosphere to go back in time. However Time’s new love is the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter).

In the movie we find out why it’s always one minute to tea time, why the Red Queen has such a big head and what did happen to the Mad Hatter’s family that Alice has to save. Many reviews have said that the movie was a disappointment. It is a Tim Burton production however James Bobin (Da Ali G Show, The Muppets, Muppets Most Wanted) directed this movie. This already had a big impact for me as a Tim Burton fan.

The drastic thing I noticed was the make up from the Hatter, it didn’t quite have the Burton touch. The screenplay, written by Linda Woolverton (Alice in Wonderland, The Lion King and Maleficent) had a good story line. You also feel confused at stages
with what you are seeing especially Alice finds herself in a mental institution.

The film itself is Alice as we came to love her in 2010 but it lacked something. You know I don’t care what the news says about Johnny Depp and the crazy accusations his wife made. Personally she should take a short walk off the planks. But the movie was released at a quiet time for cinema (but the new the X-Men movie is a runaway hit?), Tim Burton should have stayed in the directors seat and Disney spent $170 million on this film and it went under quicker than falling through the looking glass.

Should you watch it on the big screen? The 3D effects are really amazing, I have goose flesh. But you can wait for the DVD. This movie gets a 2 out of 5 wolf howls. 1 for the casting the original cast and 2 for Sacha Baron Cohen outstanding job of playing the “Time” character.

Watch this space for regular updates in the Movies category on Running Wolf’s Rant.