Alice in Wonderland

Why is a raven like a writing desk? Sorry, let's try that again. How is Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland like Lewis Carroll's stories of Alice in Wonderland? The answer to the latter is that it isn't, at least not very much, though it does feature the former question, which is from the original tale. (Got that?) This wouldn't be a bad thing if Burton's CGI Wonderland extravaganza, available in hat-flinging 3D, kept a fair amount of Carroll's wit and playfulness, but, sadly, those qualities are often trampled over by the film's bulked-up plot and flashy effects-laden sequences. That's not to say that movie is without its charms--the cast is uniformly excellent, and the character designs, particularly Johnny Depp's kabuki-like Mad Hatter, are inspired. However, in their well-intentioned attempt to make this more of a sequel than straight adaptation of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, Burton and screenwriter Linda Woolverton have lost the gleefully unhinged strangeness of Carroll's literary visions, allowing that singular quality to pop up only on occasion. Easily better than Burton's garish Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but not as inspired as his creepy Sleepy Hollow, Wonderland is worth the trip down the rabbit hole, but, like Alice, you may barely remember it once you leave. Now, really, why is a raven like a writing desk?