Film review of “Alice in wonderland” –Tim Burton

“Alice in wonderland” is a latest 3-D film on show which is directed by Tim Burton whom specializes in dark and aberrant-themed film. The genre of this film can be seen as a blend of live action and animation, the traditional fairy tale was overthrown to be a dark adult fairy with fully black humor factors which is a typical vision of Burton. This strong personal style of Burdon was clearly revealed at the setting and character part of scene. To instance, while Burden tended to use some dark elements and “death” in his story telling, the color used in most of the props and scenes are neither dull color nor black and white. These settings helped to create a baroque style world view of this story. Meanwhile the designs of the characters are also stereotypical Burdon’s style which is full of grotesque characteristic. For example, the white hair and strange active of White Queen; Peculiar figure of Red Queen with her Astonishing big head and bombastic eye mask; Whimsical Mad Hatter with his strange hair style. All of these are the typical personal stamps of Burton’s signature. What’s more, regarding to the biography of Burdon, his film style was greatly constructed by his personal experience in his childhood. The protagonists in his work were mostly marginalized, hard to communicate with others and a bit strange of their appearances or behaviors. To instance, the eccentric owner of chocolate factory Willy Wonka in his film “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” or the bloody barber in “The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” are both of the typical examples of Burton’s creation. Likewise, Alice, the protagonist in the latest film is also representing these kinds of characteristic in which she often considers herself as an outsider while she often feel incompatible with the common norm and sense that everybody believe in. She thinks it is difficult for her to fit in the adult world with her distinctive way of thinking and so she evades making any decisions about her life.


Many people think that Tim Burton’s “single organizing intelligence” is missing in this film because of the corporation with Disneyland had restrain him under a family film formula which is hard for him to express his distinctive world view and photography. Regarding to this argument, I do have a different point of view. As the central theme of Burton’s work are mainly narratives of how a outsider being isolated and seeking for something , whatever their identities , their dreams or an answer for their lives, through this process they are being adopt or influencing people and the society surrounding them. This core value of Burton’s work is still kept in the film, while Alice is also searching how her life should be and her real identity in the film. Somehow it had been revealed in the film that she keeps being asked by others with the question “who is Alice?” and being told with an answer like “Alice should be…”These kinds of speech are ceaselessly appearing throughout the whole film. Therefore, it is failed to say that Burden had lost his own style in this new production but much fair to see him just changed the way to express his individual style .It is hoped to be understandable by his new audiences: families including both adults and children who are not common audiences of Burton’s films.

Ng Wing Yan , Connie
Student Num:10423649