Malice in Wonderland

Malice in Wonderland kind of intrigued me because the idea and the thought of making a cockney-gangster version of the Alice in Wonderland story was a clever approach as I haven't heard of a version like it so it's unique. It could have went either way, it could have been something original yet different or it could have been a laughable idea that isn't interesting enough. Malice in Wonderland is pretty much the first. The story is clever yet average, it's clever the way they twisted the known tale of Alice but it didn't grip you in the first fifteen minutes, it took me about twenty minutes to actually get into the movie and no movie should take that long to get your attention. Even though it started quite slow, as time went on, it picked up the pace and started to get better. The acting is average, Danny Dyer plays Whitey (which is, as you've probably guessed, the equivalent to the White Rabbit) and yet again Danny Dyer is basically playing himself, as his character is the same as the other characters he's ever played in movies. However, Malice in Wonderland is the best he's ever been. The talent that shines throughout is the gorgeous Maggie Grace who plays the troubled twenty-year-old Alice. The characters were created cleverly to twist the characters in the story and added a hint of personality from the real world. The direction is done well and the cinematography is okay and it's clever the way they did it. I also loved how they borrowed some of the lines from the old movie and added them for the characters and I liked how it stuck to the original Alice in Wonderland plot and twisted it.

Overall, I was on and off about it before watching but after watching, I ended up liking it. It's an above-average movie and I enjoyed it. It's such a brilliant translation and you would like this movie if you liked Alice in Wonderland.

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I found this movie on Netflix and was initially unsure about it. The title seemed stupid and the rating wasn't all that high. Even once I started watching it, I was just mostly confused. I was interested, yes, but so so confused. For this reason, I will say that this movie isn't for everyone. It's definitely weird, and not just in a slightly quirky kind of way. My advice is, if you start watching this movie and feel put off, start over.

That's what I did, and my experience was increased tenfold. I put my laptop away (I'm very guilty of browsing the internet while watching movies) and found a time when I could actually focus on the movie. The script and the acting was fantastic, with some over-the-top characters, brilliant little details and an overall dream-like feel. When it comes to "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" adaptions, my favorites tend to be the ones that can recreate that same playful crazy feeling that made Lewis Carroll's version so appealing to me as a child. This was definitely in that thread. I'm not sure how well this movie would go over with somebody who hasn't read, or didn't love, the original book. Personally, I had a little rush of joy seeing how wonderfully frantic the trial scene was, just as it was in the book. There were lots of connections like that throughout the film. That said, there were also some great original touches.

In general, I'd definitely advise you to watch it at least once. (While actually paying attention) Some people will love it to death, and others will probably think it's stupid. I think it's worth seeing which category you fall into.

Though the film may lack a bit of depth, Malice in Wonderland is a visual treat that any fan of cinema or the Lewis Carroll stories can enjoy. Similar to Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet, Malice in Wonderland is a modern day take on the Alice and Wonderland story that begins with a young blonde girl running from henchmen who is suddenly hit by a cab driven by a snarky but charming man named "Whitey" (the white rabbit) causing her to lose her memory. In a rush, Whitey throws her in his cab and takes her through a long tunnel (the rabbit hole) into his world of gangsters, neon lights, and house music. The entire film revolves around this woman trying to figure out who she is, where she is, and where she needs to be. Along the way meeting a handful of interesting characters: the caterpillar, the mad hatter, the queen, etc. The characters are a bit subtle and usually not formally introduced so a quick peak at the trailer will give you a good idea of who is who if you need it. I found myself extremely entertained throughout the entire film. Visually, this movie is fun and beautiful. It's pretty well acted, especially for a low budget film. The pacing is fast and keeps you interested. Though the ending was a bit of a disappointment (I wont spoil anything) and the story overall lacked a bit of depth, compared to other Alice book to film adaptations this is definitely my favorite (and I've seen almost all of them except Tim Burton's). Definitely worth a watch! Go see it!

It seems financially viable to release this now and an oversight not to, even if it is straight to DVD. With only a few short weeks until the release of Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland, anything bearing roughly the same name or subject matter is likely to gain more interest that it would do under normal circumstances. Lewis Carroll's version of Wonderland (and Alice, come to that) is altogether different here, however. This Simon Fellows directed version of the well-loved tale takes one step firmly to the dark side of humanity, edging further away from fantasy than either Lewis Carroll or Burton's interpretation of Carroll's undoubted masterpiece.

Simon Fellows gathers an eclectic cast ensemble and seems to have read through the story of Alice and then cherry-picked scenes that suit his cinematic vision and then chopped them together. Really, this boils down to two or three set pieces that make some sort of cohesive sense, with the rest just filler in-between. For all that, however, there are genuinely, but rare enjoyable moments throughout.

I'm not known for being a Danny Dyer fan, and still remain as unimpressed by him on the whole as I was before, having only been able to admire one of his delivered lines throughout the entire film. Maggie Grace plays the part of Alice, a poor little rich girl that has lost her memory after being knocked over by Whitey's (Dyer) taxi.   Sounds a world away from the usual fantasy fare, right? Well this version of Alice In Wonderland is set in modern day inner city. The White Rabbit is a taxi driver who is off to buy a cake and is very late for the party, Tweedledum and Tweedledee are both club doormen and stealing tarts in this movie is driving off in an eighteen wheeler with a collection of hookers in the back. An unusual take on the literary work, and if I'm brutally honest, more than a little bit of a mess.

The entire movie feels cluttered, unkempt and sprawling. This never feels like a fantasy, more the intermittent recollections of a hallucinating girl on a one night class A bender. It never feels magical nor enchanting or indeed any element that the original work instilled in its reader.

It would be fair to suggest that this is not at all what Felllows had wanted to do with the film, but then you do have to ask, just what was it that he was trying to achieve? From what he has delivered here, it is not easy to tell, apart from a simple circular tale that could have been about anything, at anytime, anywhere. If so, then why base it on a well loved children's fable? (See paragraph one)

The acting is roundly awful by the main players. Dyer is famous for his usually overtly violent films that require him to shout a lot, point angry fingers and throw his fists about and Grace is as wooden as another well loved children's character. Some credibility comes in the form of Pam Ferris, Fiona O'Shaughnessy, Matt King and Nathaniel Parker in their own oddly created cameos, but none make enough of an appearance throughout to save this film from its rightful place in the bowels of DVD purgatory.

In summary, avoid this if you have the option. If you have to sit through it, I'd pay it the attention it deserves and make sure you have a book handy, or if you are of an hallucinogenic bent, you may find this riveting after you have dropped a tab. I would never suggest illegal drug-taking for recreation, but really, you will need more than just your brain, ears and patience to get to the end of it.

'MALICE IN WONDERLAND': Three Stars (Out of Five)

A modern day variation on Lewis Carroll's classic books 'MALICE IN WONDERLAND' tells the tale of a young student (played by the increasingly more impressive Maggie Grace, of 'LOST' fame) who's hit by a cab and transferred by the cab driver (played by Danny Dyer) to a bizarre alternate reality where she can't remember who she is and has no idea how to get home. Constantly in danger from a series of strange and even stranger characters she must solve the mysteries of herself and this new world before she loses her sanity, and of course she falls in love in the process.

The movie is very original and different, cleverly written and uniquely directed, but the material is way too incoherent and pointless which does make it a bit dull at times. Still it's definitely like nothing you've ever seen before and is certainly memorable. It also frequently contains emotional scenes that are touching and thought provoking. The movie is a mystery and so is the overall quality of the film! It probably would be a lot better and make more sense if you watched it wasted. Describing it reminds me of the way some have described my texts, tweets and facebook updates.

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