Alice in Wonderland [DVD]

The marriage of director Tim Burton with the darker edges of the Alice In Wonderland story seems, on paper, to be an impressive match. And to a point, it is: Burton’s film explodes with colour and style, bringing a real sense of imagination to the classic Lewis Carroll stories. Alice In Wonderland isn’t perfect, though. It’s, at heart, far more conventional than you may be expecting, and the beefing up of the Mad Hatter’s role to accommodate the casting of Johnny Depp is problematic. That said, Depp’s performance is fine, even if it’s Helena Bonham-Carter who steals every scene she’s in. And Burton also wisely casts a strong supporting cast of British thespians, who don’t get enough screen time, but make the most of what they get. The end result, however, is a fun telling of an engaging story. And while Tim Burton’s take on Alice In Wonderland is far from the best filmed take on the source material, it’s nonetheless a solid family movie. It also looks stunning on Blu-ray. The colourful production design comes across wonderfully well, in vibrant 1080p, and the enveloping sound mix matches it too. And given how often the film is likely to be re-spun over the years, it’s easily the best way to own the film. --Jon Foster