Stepping into Tim Burton’s Underland is poetically mesmerizing and picturesque, but not exactly unique. Like all of Burton’s movies, “Alice in Wonderland” has an eerie, disfigured quality. However, instead of revealing a magically parallel universe, Burton delivered what can only be described as a continuation of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. Consider the similarities. It’s no surprise that Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter have title roles in the movie, the latter being pure nepotism. And with a Depp-Burton ‘bromance’, there was really no question about his participation in this project. At a press conference Depp even explained, “to be honest, he could have said he wanted me to play Alice and I would have. I would have done whatever character Tim wanted.” Then there’s the matter of Johnny Depp’s Mad Hatter being shockingly similar to his Willie Wonka. Incorporated into both character’s personas are brief, and spacey, flashbacks, over the top wardrobes, which include coveted top hats, awkward dancing, and goofy voices and names. In some cases the characters could be inverted with little discrepancy. And then, of course, there is the scene when Alice discovers Underland for the first time, opening a door and stepping into the colorful world. Though admittedly more borrowed the other way around (and considering their both adaptations of previous movies), Burton reveals Wonderland in the same way he reveals an equally enchanting Wonka factory. A signature look is interesting and Burton’s work is certainly unique, but his own collection is hardly refreshing. Unfortunately, relief from his Beetle Juice-Edward Scissorhands-Sweeny Todd aesthetic is not foreseeable, as new movies “Frankenweenie” and “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” are in production. Maybe one day we’ll see some of the unique and accessible facets of his work apparent in “Big Fish” and early Batman movies.
