"Circles, circles, we all move in circles." This movie, made in 2009, is a modernized adaption of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland novels. Director Simon Fellows took a different direction than the usual talking rabbits, 'drink me' bottles and vengeful Red Queens. Fellows's Wonderland is filled with carnival lights, mob bosses, taxi drivers, DJs and a truck stop brothel. In the beginning of Alice's adventures in Wonderland, it can be difficult to follow the movie. It carried a lot of riddles and nonsensical comments. However, if one has read the original stories of Alice in Wonderland, they would understand that it doesn't stray far from the true story. Instead of the White Rabbit -- literally running late and worried about the time -- we get a taxi driver, Whitey, practically shackled to time and its limitations. Instead of the mad Red Queen, the Queen of Hearts, we have Harry Hutt, a powerful Mob Boss. Despite bright colours and flashing lights and near insanity, the movie strives to show the point that we do run in circles. Everything you started with is what you'll return to at the end. This is part of the reason that despite the riddles and nonsense, you should definitely sit through this movie and watch it from beginning to end. It's the final scenes that will pull the movie together and have it make sense.
I greatly enjoyed the movie for several reasons. Of course, the bright colours and strob lights did help keep my attentions in the beginning. I found that Malice in Wonderland brought the original story, a story I've cherished since I was a child, into a view that I could understand in this day and age. It's more modern, it's easier to understand and it makes sense to today's audience. An audience that reads the newspapers, watchs true crime and mystery television, that witnesses crime in their own home towns. Yet, it would still appeal to the child I no longer am. It still carries the riddles and the simple thoughts of our youth. "What has no conditions, but one condition?" A riddle that follows you from the moment you hear it uttered until the final scene of the movie. Everything in this movie happens for a reason. And not a moment is wasted as you follow Alice through this exciting view of Wonderland. But, don't take my word for it. See it yourself and fall in love with the characters as I have.
Alice in Wonderland was a fantasy movie when I was a child, but Malice in Wonderland could not be classified quite as simply. It still holds true to the fantasy aspects, but it could just as simply be a mystery, a love story, an action. It's a movie that I'd recommend to any one of my friends or family.
Finally, we musn't forget the wonderful selection of actors. Fans of the television series Lost will be delighted to see the lovely Maggie Grace in the truly stunning role of Alice Dodgson. And Danny Dyer's portrayl of Whitey, the anxious taxi driver, is so genuine and believable, you can see why Alice is so taken with him. The supporting cast -- filled out by Nathaniel Parker, Matt King, Gary Beadle and many others -- play their roles with such conviction and believability, it's truly difficult not to adore this movie. I happen to know that Chaz even decided to rewatch the movie the same night. Definitely one of my favourite movies to date.
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