alice through the looking glass film review

The clockwork world he lives in is as beautiful as is much of Wonderland itself, though the idea of time as an ocean to be flown through just creates a frame for several pointless effects sequences where the action is often impossible to follow. As performed by director James Bobin’s old “Da Ali G Show” cohort Sascha Baron Cohen, he is whimsical, mysterious and a little dangerous – exactly what a Wonderland character should be.

The only truly new idea is the living embodiment of Time, who chases Alice from age to age after she steals a magical time-traveling orb from him and inadvertently initiates the destruction of the universe. It’s an unfortunate metaphor for much of the film itself, trying to squeeze just a little more from old plot points because it can’t or won’t do anything new. Instead of going forward and finding ways for the characters to grow and change, Looking Glass is permanently backwards looking – literally – as Alice decides to travel into the past to learn whether the Hatter’s family survived the depredations of the Queen of Hearts (Carter). Realizing a successful, independent Alice is a difficult character to create realistic drama for, returning writer Linda Wolverton instead takes her ship from her and puts her back more or less in the same starting circumstances as the first film, and all just in time for Alice to be called back to Wonderland as her friend the Mad Hatter (Depp) is wasting away to nothing. Rather than answer the vital question of ‘what is this story about,’ the filmmakers have just started telling it and quickly paint themselves into a series of ever-shrinking corners. Leading a life of excitement and adventure in the real world doesn’t offer a lot of reason to return to the fantasy realm of Wonderland, and none of the creatives involved with the new Alice have either given serious thought or come up with a serious answer to this problem. It has as little to do with the Lewis Carroll book it is named for as it’s forebear, 2010’s Alice In Wonderland, instead picking up where that film left off with Alice (Wasikowska) exploring the world as a sea captain and having a grand old time.

Paul Whitehouse as Thackery Earwicket, the March Hareĭirected by James Bobin Alice Through the Looking Glass Review:Īlice Through The Looking Glass is the worst kind of sequel one with no reason to exist except that it does. Michael Sheen as Nivens McTwisp, the White Rabbitīarbara Windsor as Mallymkun, the Dormouse Stephen Fry as Cheshire, the Cheshire Cat Helena Bonham Carter as Iracebeth of Crims, the Red Queen Johnny Depp as Tarrant Hightopp, the Mad HatterĪnne Hathaway as Mirana of Marmoreal, the White Queen

Alice through the looking glass film review