Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016) Review

"Everyone parts with everything eventually, my dear."

Looking glasses, big heads, yellow-haired girls, and (thankfully) no Hatter body-popping – why, it can only be the sequel to 2010’s surprisingly high-grossing hit: Alice Through the Looking Glass. Delightfully charming Alice Kingsleigh (Mia Wasikowska) is back and on an adventure to save the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), essentially, from himself. But beware – there’s a game afoot! Did I say game? I meant Time. Time (Sacha Baron Cohen) – who’s now suddenly a person and there’s a grand clock that breaks easily and err, let’s break it down for you. Basically, the film opens Pirates of the Caribbean style with tipping boats and Chinese voyages and then switches to Alice having to perform a Back to the Future-esque voyage where she can’t let herself see herself (following so far?) or it will have depp…I mean deep, ramifications. Now we’re going into Inception mode as Alice traverses her hallucinogenic dreamy mind-field whilst battling with the concept of time – and, well, time himself. If we haven’t attracted your attention by now, then nothing will. Naturally, all the gang is back too, including the Red and White Queens, (Helena Bonham Carter & Anne Hathaway, respectively), Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Matt Lucas), as well as the Cheshire Cat (Stephen Fry) and Absolem (Alan Rickman). I bet this all sounds plenty confusing, but it’s actually one of the more coherent plots for fantasy films, which is saying something.

Indeed, in this particular world, plot points have been reimagined and back stories created, straying into new territory which may divide fans of the original novels. However, if you go into the mind-set that this is not supposed to be anything like the Lewis Carroll book, then you should be safe from harm. ‘Loose’ adaptation, this certainly is – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The additions of explanatory back stories help create a feeling of continuity, tying up unanswered questions and creating a more heartfelt story and adding personality to characters who were vastly under-developed in the original film.

In particular, Iracebeth and Mirana (Red and White Queens) actually feel like sisters in this Alice addition, something that was greatly lacking before. Both Bonham Carter and Hathaway are given more screen-time, allowing them to shine as the respectfully different royalties, and their viewpoints and ideologies given more depth. Of course, it wouldn’t be Alice Through the Looking Glass without Alice, and Mia Wasikowska demonstrates that she’s a quiet force to be reckoned with; charismatic and fiercely independent, she breathes life to a strong-willed and defiant Alice, a person any girl could look up to. But Alice has an adversary and his name is time, and time waits for no woman. Sacha Baron Cohen conjures up his best comedic German accent for the performance – almost as impressive as his French in Les Mis (courgette, anyone?) – and proves to be a welcome addition amongst the crowd of oddballs.  

ATTLG succeeds in many ways, although there are slight falters in pacing, as the frankly random mental institution scene slows down the latter part of the film, making it difficult to regain footing, and is merely brushed off as if it never happened. Fortunately, this is not enough to disorientate viewers entirely, and we are once again back to wading through the oceans of time (quite literally) to save these memorable characters.

Whilst the original may have prided itself on its darker and more disturbing nature, this instalment injects a hefty amount of colour into its imagery, and its vivid visuals cannot be understated. Certainly appealing itself to those who wish to be aesthetically astounded, the film has spared no expense in its attempt to dazzle you; from the elaborate kaleidoscopic costumes to the expertly envisioned landscapes, this is a movie that wants to make a bold statement and pushes the boundaries of wonder. Like Alice, the creative team focusing on the production clearly managed to achieve their seven impossible things before breakfast.

Rather expectantly, Danny Elfman’s score enthrals listeners and compliments the overall tone of the piece superbly, inviting audiences to immerse themselves fully in this utterly breath-taking place, the eponymous young adventurer’s track being a particular gem (‘Alice’).

Elevated by visual spectacle and solid performance, Alice Through the Looking Glass is ultimately worth another trip down the rabbit hole, looking glass, or whatever mystical transportation device you can find, in order to experience the enchantment of Underland once again.