Loved 3D! My husband thought Johnny sounded like

Madly, I think preschool kids are better off not seeing it in 3D. Some creatures just jump at you. They should like it otherwise. It may be more fun if older kids read the original Alice story first.

Just back from my first viewing. In 3D with a fellow Depp fan.
Have to say I really loved it.
I'm not an Alice fan and not particularly a Tim fan, but I thought the totally new story worked well and that it was all rather fun.
Was prepared not to like Johnny as the Mad Hatter but grew very fond of the character despite the rather confusing changing accents.
The cinema was packed for a 4pm showing (orange Wednesday?) and there were enormous queues when we got out.

Just got back from my first viewing of AIW .... finally!
I promised a friend that I'd wait to see it with her on her day off, but I don't think I'll ever make that promise for a Johnny-movie again! Much too long to wait!

First, I was OK with the 3D most of the time .... but when the movements were sharp and jerky-like, it made my head ache! It was like my eyes were banging around in their sockets trying to keep up!

As far as the movie itself, I absolutely adored it!
With all the mixed love-hate reviews, I was prepared to be "not thrilled" .... and, boy, I'm glad I was wrong!
I found it to be a remarkable, delightful movie!
My favorite animated character was the Cheshire Cat!
My favorite human character, next to of course, was the Red Queen. Helena was wonderful! A remarkable performance.

When I watch a Johnny-movie, I purposefully, try not to compare his characters, because, I know this is hard to believe, he is only human. He can only have so many pitches to his voice ... he can only have so many external facial expressions.... he can't change his bone structure (thank goodness), he cannot change his height , etc etc .... so, in light of this, I saw a completely "new" character ... the colorful tones of the character were amazing, his intensity during his madness was frightening, yet he could rip your heart out with his sad little-boy-lost look ........... Johnny's characters can always break my heart and this one was no exception.

And his voice during his quoting of the Jabberwacky poem ....... pure velvet!
FairFarren!

Wow - what an intriguing thought! I think I was only considering male characters as Mad Hatter parallels, but why not female? Very interesting perspective, Dramaqueen86!


I totally agree, shmrNglo. To me as well, the Mad Hatter is utterly unique!

I agree with so much of what you've taken the time to write here, shmrNglo. In particular, I so loved JD's obviously intentional use of abrupt accent changes to let us in on the varied shades of that madness . . . a very risky decision on his part, certainly, as so many reviewers latched on to that very choice to harshly criticize JD for "not knowing where he was going with the character"!

Mr. Depp and Mr. Burton are geniuses I just saw AIW for the 3rd time today in 2D this time and I prefer it over 3D to me 3D is distracting and I thought the colors were brighter in 2D. I agree that Johnny's quoting of the Jabberwock Poem with the Scotts accent was fantastic...I want to listen to it over and over.
I didn't like Alice in Wonderland when I was a child I found it to be to frightening
so to be able to enjoy it now is a true gift. Thank you Tim Burton and all the cast for this great film.

I just came back from a second viewing and having read about this curious choice of words, paid more attention this time around. Shortly after the Hatter says, "I'd know him anywhere!" comes the scene where the Hatter quotes the poem The Jabberwocky. And that poem always refers to the champion with the masculine pronouns:
"He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought..."
So, I now believe that since they have all seen the scroll depicting Alice fighting the Jabberwocky, and the poem itself refers to the defeater of the Jabberwocky as a HE, then naturally when the Hatter sees Alice, he refers to her as "him!"

Went to see it for the first time this morning, thought it was delightful. Didn't find the 3D distracting in fact hardly noticed it at all. My son said the 3D was not as good as Avatar but I expect that is because it wasn't filmed in 3D.
Loved Johnny as the MH he was just lovley in it and Mia loved her performance too well done Tim for chosing her. I want a Cheshire Cat, I think he is my favorite of the characters although I think all the animal characters were just lovely.
I did think during the scenes where Alice runs up the ruined stair for the fight with the Jabawocky that they may have stolen something from the Lord of the Rings at that point If you know the film you'll know what I mean I think, in fact something about it remined me of the Balrog to a small degree.
I was surpried the White Queen didn't have a bigger part really. The Mad Hatter in flahsboack reminded me very much of Rochester in that longer curly wig
I did notice some things were slightly clunky. The Knave of Hearts movements were not very smooth andhis horse wasn't very real looking. Loved the butterfly at the end
On the whole though really enjoyed it.

A few points that occurred to me at the second view:

A few pages back I remember seeing people talking about parrallel characters in the real world of Alice and Wonderland/Underland and that the fiance was the equivalent ot the Hatter. I didn't think so. The fiance is the equivalent to a character who wasn't in the film, the Lobster in the Lobster Quadrille? They are all dancing the quadrille and he says how he enjoys it. Franz Ferdinand version on the trailer:



Fudderwhacking: Tim did the exact same before in Beetlegeuse when B. put a spell on the family who maoved into the house.

The White Queen: She is the image of Ichabod's mother from SH down to the dress style and how she holds her arms. Was Lisa Marie Tim's squeeze at the time, pre Helena?

And finally, there was more than a hint of Robert Carlyle as Begsby out of Trainspotting in the Hatter as a Glaswegian!

The first "review" that I saw was from the UK Premiere, from Sharon Osborne via Twitter, where she said it was "marvelous". Then, there were some other reviews, some positive, some less than enthusiastic. I had assembled a small group (13 in all!) to go see Alice In Wonderland. Our ages ranged from 11 to 49 years old. I was a little apprehensive, wondering if this would be as good as the previews promised.

I have seen Alice IN Wonderland twice, that first time in IMAX 3D and the second time in "regular" 3D. There is a difference, to my eyes, at least. However, I enjoyed everything just the same the second time. My favorite scene or bit is when the Hatter does that portion of the Jabberwocky poem. If I see it again, it'll be for that one small moment and it's pure bliss.

It's been pointed out that the Hatter, in the flashback, looks like the Earl of Rochester because of his long, wavy hair and I noticed that, too.
Of course, Johnny can't help if he resembles (in appearance) a prior character.

The Hatter, for all his quirks and madness, seems more real than many of the other characters in the film. It's as if he could exist "here". I guess what I'm trying to say is that Depp, with his portrayal, has made yet another memorable character. I feel as if I "know" the Mad Hatter just based upon what I saw in the film.

The best of the "animals" has to be the Cheshire Cat, largely due to Stephen Fry. "Goodbye, sweet....hat."

All in all, it was lots of fun and I loved it!

Agree completely. Thought how gorgeous he (the Hatter ) was then and wished he had not had a haircut

I think you are right there. Interesting.

She was, but I don't recall her ever holding her hands in the same manner I certainly didn't think of her while watching.

GG, I can see what you mean about the comparison to the LOTR scene when Alice & the Jabberwocky were on the staircase.

I saw the film tonight for the second week in a row; this time was my first 3D viewing. There was a point after the Red Queen tries to behead the Hatter, when he swings across on the red & white pole, and I almost thought he was going to say, "This is the day you will remember as the day you almost caught the Mad Hatter!", or something like that.

I was sad to see Alice leave him when she leaves Underland. I really felt that Johnny's Hatter seemed very real. He melts into his characters so completely and believably! I found myself trying to see Johnny at times, but could not, except for maybe his cheekbones. I feel that I will miss the Mad Hatter too!

The film reminded me tonight, over & over, of many aspects of The Wizard of Oz, which has remained one of my favorite movies of all time.

I got my 3rd viewing yesterday, in 3D. I didn't find it distracting at all. My hometown theater isn't even digital, so all the colors & details were lovely.

I hadn't noticed the phonograph & the music at the tea party before yesterday. (The sound was better in this theater, too.) And, I thought Absalom was going to fly right over & land on Mom's shoulder at the end.

I'm totally enchanted with the Mad Hatter, my favorite scenes being the tea party, and when Alice tells him he's mad (and he asks her why she's always too small or too tall)!