A visually ambitious, highly stylized fantasy that’s more interesting as a Burton mood piece than as a faithful or emotionally rich adaptation. It has memorable production design, a strong sense of oddball pageantry, and a committed lead performance, but the story is thin and the CGI-heavy look is divisive.
Alice in Wonderland
Where to watch: Buy
Movie · Family · Fantasy
Wed · 1h 48m
Director: Tim Burton
Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway
Overview
Alice, now 19 years old, returns to the whimsical world she first entered as a child and embarks on a journey to discover her true destiny.
Director
Tim Burton
Cast
Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway
Curator Review
Verdict
A visually ambitious, highly stylized fantasy that’s more interesting as a Burton mood piece than as a faithful or emotionally rich adaptation. It has memorable production design, a strong sense of oddball pageantry, and a committed lead performance, but the story is thin and the CGI-heavy look is divisive.
Best for
Tim Burton fans
viewers who like dark, glossy fantasy worlds
people who enjoy eccentric production design over plot fidelity
families with older kids who can handle a slightly eerie tone
Skip if
you want a faithful adaptation of the book
you’re sensitive to heavy CGI and digital environments
you prefer warm, character-driven family fantasy
you dislike stylized whimsy with a gloomy edge
Overview
This is one of those blockbuster fantasies that lives or dies on whether you buy the vibe. The film leans hard into Burton’s gothic-curious aesthetic, turning Wonderland into a strange, ornate, sometimes ugly, sometimes gorgeous dreamscape that feels more like a fevered sequel to childhood memory than a straight retelling.
Worth noting
Mia Wasikowska gives the story a steadier center than the script deserves, and the supporting cast is packed with exaggerated, theatrical turns. But the movie is mostly carried by design, color, and attitude; the narrative itself is familiar, rushed, and often secondary to the spectacle.
Bottom line
If you like your fantasy a little off-kilter and don’t mind a glossy digital sheen, there’s enough personality here to make it worthwhile. If you want charm, warmth, or a truly magical sense of wonder, this one may feel more like an elaborate costume than a fully alive world.
Top Letterboxd reviews
olivia 🧸🍊 (3★) · 4486 likes
“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m weird. I’m a weirdo. I don’t fit in. And I don’t want to fit in. Have you ever seen me without this stupid hat on? That’s weird.”
˗ˏˋ suspirliam ˊˎ˗ (3.5★) · 4314 likes
i think this film is actually pretty neat and i should be allowed to say that
bhadbhabiefan69 (5★) · 3229 likes
What do you all gain from hating in this movie? I hate you bitches. Anyways I’ve had 4 vodka sodas
David Sims (0.5★) · 2800 likes
The worst-looking movie ever made
lauren (3.5★) · 2733 likes
even if you held a gun to my head i still could not tell you why i like this movie so much. it just...sits right with me
Themes
identity, coming of age, escape into fantasy, destiny, rebellion, dream logic, self-discovery, queer-coded eccentricity
Topics
fantasy, family adventure, gothic whimsy, surreal visuals, coming-of-age, dreamlike, dark fairytale, CGI spectacle, eccentric tone, 2000s blockbuster