Director: Tim Burton

Time: 1 hour 48 minutes

Genre: Children's

Starring: Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham-Carter

Tim Burton's adaptation of the Lewis Carroll classic is visually beautiful and very eclectic. Unfortunately, once viewers get past the visual effects and the stellar performances from Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter, there is nothing left to carry the story through the third act.

Tim Burton is the master of eclectic atmospheres and settings and "Alice in Wonderland" is no exception. The scenery is extremely detailed and Burton's style is a perfect match for Carroll's story. Burton pays close attention to the minute details and it makes the visual experience very enjoyable. From the dark woods Alice runs through to get to the Mad Hatter, to the lake of heads which she skips across to get to the Red Queen, each scene is unforgettable from a purely visual standpoint.

Additionally, the acting from Helena Bonham-Carter and Johnny Depp is a strong complement to Burton's direction. It takes a special type of performer to play such a over-the-top role like the Mad Hatter, and Depp steps up to the plate and hits it out of the park. Bonham-Carter plays the Red Queen, a big-headed (literally) pre-madonna intent on controlling the "Underland".

The problems with "Alice in Wonderland" arrive once you look past the afore-mentioned qualities of the film. The adaptation is loosely based on the original works of Lewis Carroll and there are clear misconceptions. Most apparent is the army of hearts that are under her control. In the canonical version, the army of hearts is under the control of the Queen of Hearts - I'm sure Burton and the person involved with the screenplay knew this, but as to why they merged the two characters together is anyone's guess.

Also, while Depp and Bonham-Carter are unforgettable, the rest of the cast is hard to remember. While each character is visually interesting and grotesque, their acting does not match what is on the screen. This is most prevalent with the character Alice who just acts as a device to introduce the weird nuances of the "Underland".

"Alice in Wonderland" brings a new look to a classic tale but unfortunately, that is all it really does.

3 out of 5 stars.