Score: ★✮
Feeling as though I am the only one who was actually looking forward to seeing this film I went into Alice Through the Looking Glass with high hopes. I wasn't expecting it to be great because sequels hardly ever top their predecessors and early reviews weren't exactly the most positive.
The good news is it wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be the bad news is it still wasn't a very good movie. There was no magic or wonder and it was missing everything that made the first trip down the rabbit hole so wonderful. To quote the Mad Hatter but not quite, the first film was much more muchier and this movie is missing its' muchness.
The plot this time around revolves around Alice (Mia Wasikowska) returning to Wonderland to save the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) who is dying a slow depressing death because he believes his family to still be alive. His family supposedly died at the hands of the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) and her Jabberwocky many years ago.
To save him and find his family Alice meets with Time (Sacha Baron Cohen) who refuses to help her because messing with the past is dangerous business. So instead of listening to Time's helpful words of advice Alice steals the Chronosphere, a device that can be used to go to any point in the past. She uses this device to find the Mad Hatter's family and save them so her friend can get better.
The plot this time around is a lot more understandable and a lot less weird however that is part of the movie's problem. What I loved so much about the first movie was that it was about something. It was strange and convoluted but behind all of that it was about a girl re-discovering who she was. Through the Looking Glass has nothing like that.
I wasn't rooting for Alice this time and I found myself not caring if the Mad Hatter lived or died. And I have to admit that Time who is supposed to be the bad guy in this adventure makes a lot of valid points. Especially when he points out that going into the past poses a risk of destroying time and space completely. Is the Mad Hatter's life really worth that risk? I would think not.
Visually the movie isn't that impressive either. For one thing everything looked fake, none of the effects convinced me that what I was seeing might be real. It's like they spent so much money hiring Johnny Depp they had nothing left over to make the movie with.
And while I'm on the subject, Johnny Depp gives one of the worst performances of his career in this movie. It's one thing to go over the top with a character but he takes that to a whole different level. It's not cute or funny (even though it was probably meant to be).
The only actor who really appears to be having a good time and giving a great performance while doing so is Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen. She isn't given much but when she does appear on screen I found myself wishing that the whole movie could have been about her.
And in case you were wondering, we do find out in this movie why her head is so large and it's not nearly as exciting as you would think.
Alice Through the Looking Glass is possibly one of the most unnecessary sequels in the history of movies. It's a visual mess with a plot that tries so hard to make sense to the audience that it sacrifices good storytelling in the process. It's sad because I was really excited to see this film and I really wanted to like it but the truth of the matter is I can't find anything positive to say about it. If only the filmmakers could go back in time and stop themselves from making this movie.
And is it worth the risk of obliterating time and space completely you ask. Yes, yes it is.
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