3 years have passed since the events of “Alice in Wonderland,” and Alice Kingsleigh (Mia Wasikowska) is now the captain of the ship “The Wonder,” exploring the world. Upon her return to London, she hears that her Mom (Lindsay Duncan) has sold their family’s home to Hamish Ascot, the person Alice turned down a wedding proposal to in the first film. Upon meeting with the company, Alice is asked to sell her father’s ship in order to regain the Kingsleigh home. As a result, Alice will be demoted to being a clerk. Alice’s mom believes that her daughter should get a job more fitting for a lady. Feeling betrayed, in a quiet room, Alice finds Absolem the Butterfly (voiced by Alan Rickman in his final performance), who leads her through a mirror back to Underland. Alice is informed by her friends that the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) is sick and slowly dying. Why? The Mad Hatter believes his family (that Alice even remembers him proclaiming as “dead”) is still alive, and the idea that no one believes him causes him to lose strength. After trying to speak to the Hatter, Alice learns there may be a way to save the Hatter’s family. She would have to go back in time, by consulting with Time (Sacha Baron Cohen) himself.
The overall production is fantastic. Visual effects, at least for the most part, are top-notch. A couple of highlights include Alice falling and the inside of the clock where Time lives (although at times, it did remind me a little too much of Spy Kids 4). The costumes are fantastic, with some really unique and colorful pieces. Look for Colleen Atwood (after winning the Oscar for Costume Design for the first film) to be honored in awards season again for the sequel. Production design is also outstanding (a village with snow falling on it is a major highlight), with some beautiful sets here and there.
The overall production is fantastic. Visual effects, at least for the most part, are top-notch. A couple of highlights include Alice falling and the inside of the clock where Time lives (although at times, it did remind me a little too much of Spy Kids 4). The costumes are fantastic, with some really unique and colorful pieces. Look for Colleen Atwood (after winning the Oscar for Costume Design for the first film) to be honored in awards season again for the sequel. Production design is also outstanding (a village with snow falling on it is a major highlight), with some beautiful sets here and there.
The actors clearly show they are enjoying working on these films. Wasikowska makes an interesting lead, as she clearly brings the toughness and heart of Alice, perhaps a little more clearly this time around. Depp is weird and interesting as usual, though I wished I could hear a little more of his "accent variety" like we heard in the first film. Anne Hathaway returns as the White Queen, and although she isn't given a whole lot to do, still remains as charming and interesting as the first go-round. Helena Bonham Carter also returns, and chews as much scenery and steals as much scenes as last time. Both queens are given an interesting backstory, which really explores what tore them apart.
Even though his time is very brief in the film, Rickman's final role as Absolem here is still delivered nicely. As a semi-villain (he doesn't exactly turn out to be very evil, but for good reason), Cohen really works well here. He's a very intriguing and sophisticated character that gets plenty of time to work with. A scene in particular between him and Depp is very fun to watch. The rest of the voice cast characters, such as the Cheshire Cat, March Hare, and Doormouse, seem a little pushed aside this time, but they are still given a handful of scenes to work with.
The major strength of this sequel is the depth given to the screenplay here by Linda Woolverton (Maleficent, the first Alice and Beauty and the Beast). Unlike last time, in which Alice in Wonderland followed a very generic and overused plot ("savior comes in to fulfill prophecy"), Through the Looking Glass has at least a bit better-crafted story. While Alice still is the hero, its not without some very strong themes and messages along the way. And at the same time, Woolverton is allowed here to dig a little deeper into the Underlandian characters' lives, and by the time the film ends, you actually care more about them.
The plot contains also some very strong life lessons as well. The importance of time, family, and forgiveness as well as the dangers of lying, lifelong consequences for mistakes, and having the wrong priorities, all play key components in this story. In that case, Woolverton really makes Through the Looking Glass a morality tale, which makes it at times, both moving and inspiring.
Danny Elfman returns to score, and doesn't provide anything particularly memorable here, save for a few reprises of the memorable "Alice" theme from the first film.
On the downside, despite a more depth-filled screenplay, the film does zip a little too quickly between plot points. On the positive end, the film does pace quick through its near 2-hour running time, but on the negative end, it leaves a few major plot points cut short and sometimes scattershot. For instance, Alice's part in the story is almost completely left out throughout the time in Wonderland. She still learns and it helps her a lot in the end, but Alice is more shown to be just a witness of these stories as we go more than letting us know how she learns from them at times. There are also a handful of awkward facial close-ups of characters. A particular shot of seeing the Red Queen's nostrils front-and-center doesn't do me any favors.
I didn't end up seeing the first Alice until a couple of years after it came out. But, I do think it is an underrated film. Despite a generic plot, it had some real merit. It had a very nice balance of a dark, interesting and memorable visual palette with light, bouncy, and wacky characters. It ranks alongside Into the Woods as the weaker of Disney's growing live-action fairy tale library (which there really isn't a bad one to be honest), but it is certainly no stinker.
And while not many people were clamoring for a sequel, I must say, Through the Looking Glass is actually a better film. The visual style is, at times, even more bright and beautiful than the last go-round. The characters are more endearing and likable. And the story is given a lot more attention, characterization, and meaning than last time.
The most impressive thing about Through the Looking Glass, however, is its themes and messages. Much like Maleficent before it, Woolverton weaves in some very strong lessons here that really elevate the film beyond being just mere entertainment. It actually has a handful of things to say, and gives it more soul than I would have expected.
From the strong messages, to the excellent production values and wonderfully wacky performances, this sequel is just as engaging and entertaining as both Cinderella and the recent Jungle Book, and ranks as one of the stronger efforts from Disney's live-action fairy tale/remake department thus far (though not quite as magical as some of the animated catalog).
A few fairly obvious trip-ups aside, this is certainly (surprisingly) more than just a very worthwhile trip down the rabbit hole.
A few fairly obvious trip-ups aside, this is certainly (surprisingly) more than just a very worthwhile trip down the rabbit hole.
Score: 8.4/10
Content Problems Families Should Be Aware Of:
Language: Despite a “some language” reason for the PG rating, there is hardly anything heard. The British interjection “bloody” is used twice (and one of those times it is used to describe the Red Queen in the same way Queen Mary was described in the 1500’s). "What the devil?", “imbecile,” “idiot” and “stupid.”
Adult Content: A couple of female outfits are somewhat low-cut.
Violence: There are a handful of action scenes, but none are quite as dark or scary as the first “Alice…”. We do witness the Jaberwocky (a dragon that will probably frighten younger kids) breathe fire a couple of times and cause a bit of destruction. Characters and objects are swarmed and frozen by a red, rusting substance during one scene. A carrot nose is broken off. Someone takes a fall and hits her head. Someone and a flying machine crashes (no injuries). The Wonder and a few ships are nearly capsized by rough waters at the beginning. Music box characters reenact an executioner chopping off someone’s head. Alice is threatened in a mental institution, and stabs a doctor with a needle (off-screen). The Red Queen issues multiple, somewhat violent threats. Alice falls from ominous heights. Humpty Dumpty falls and breaks.
Drugs/Alcohol: Alice is nearly injected with an unknown medicinal drug (which she injects into the doctor in defense, knocking him unconscious). The “Alice…” stories have been suggested to be related to drug-related hallucinations, but none of that is suggested here.
Other: Time calls himself, “omniscient,” “immortal,” and “all that will ever be.” He also apparently has a say in when anyone dies, closing up a stopwatch when someone breathes their last breath. Someone lies. A family is kidnapped by someone as an act of “revenge.” Someone steals a precious object.
