Category Archives: Fantasy

If you’ve been to the movie theater recently, no doubt you’ve seen the rather unsettling posters of Johnny Depp with teased-out red hair, pale makeup, and electric green eyes. You were probably, like me, repelled by this new interpretation of the Mad Hatter…and when I first heard about Tim Burton’s live-action remake of “Alice in Wonderland” I dismissed it as a whimsical nightmare come to 3D life. But a couple of trailers later, images started popping up of an armored Alice toting a huge sword and battling hordes of playing-card-soldiers. Curiosity overcame my initial distaste.

To summarize the movie in one sentence: it’s a slightly psychotic reinterpretation of the Chronicles of Narnia.

19-year-old Alice Kingsley, narrowly escaping the cloying attentions of a disgusting suitor, falls down the rabbit hole again and ends up in Underland. (She heard the name wrong on her first visit). It rapidly becomes clear that Burton’s “Alice” isn’t a retelling of the original story – rather, it’s a sequel of sorts that combines elements from Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” “Through the Looking-Glass,” and “Jabberwocky.” As she ventures further into Underland, familiar characters – Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Cheshire Cat, the smoking caterpillar, and the Dodo Bird – start reappearing.

Underland is greatly changed from her last visit. The tyrannical, bulbous-headed Red Queen (played by a maniacal Helena Bonham Carter) rules the land with an iron fist after usurping it from her sister, the White Queen. Of course, no villain works alone…and the Queen is backed by the Jabberwock (a huge dragon), the Bandersnatch (a monster somewhere between a bear, a bulldog, and a shark), and the sinister Knave of Hearts.

Alice makes her way to the ruins of the Tea Party, where the Mad Hatter and March Hare are awaiting her. She quickly learns it is her destiny to confront the Jabberwock and restore the White Queen to power – that is, if she is the “real Alice” and not just an imitator. From this point on, the story becomes very reminiscent of the “Chronicles of Narnia” – a coming-of-age empowerment tale set in a fantastical universe.

As its title would imply, the film is a visual wonderland. Surreal, quasi-gothic imagery fills the screen – at once both mesmerizing and unsettling. The Mad Hatter’s tea party is an almost hallucinatory sequence that revels in dystopian fantasy. Images of broken teacups, a decaying windmill, and the mangy March Hare shrieking “You’re all late for TEA!” all combine into a disturbing panorama. The mashup of live-action and animation creates a product that’s both brilliant and chilling. (I personally didn’t think the 3D added that much to the movie, but maybe that’s just me.)

The acting is where the film really shines. From Mia Wasikowska’s breakthrough performance as Alice to Johnny Depp’s slightly-deranged Mad Hatter, the characters feel entirely believable despite the oddity of their surroundings. (As a nice touch, Alan Rickman – better known as Severus Snape – cameos as the voice of the sagacious caterpillar Absolem.) Alice’s feelings of uncertainty feel entirely genuine, as does the Red Queen’s megalomania. When the Queen shrieks “Off with his head!” there’s really no doubt that she intends to carry through on her threats.

The movie errs, however, in its attempt to produce a “family-friendly” film. This is by no means a movie for the sensitive or easily disturbed – while actual instances of violence are fairly muted, there are a fair number of grisly moments that feel truly shocking in a movie marketed to “all ages.” And it’s worth mentioning that Underland itself is just plain nightmarish at points. The average person will probably fall into one of two categories: those who enjoy the movie and those who loathe it…there really isn’t much of a middle ground. “Alice in Wonderland” will be either fascinating or horrifying, depending on the viewer.

I was expecting there to be a lot of worldview elements in a fantasy film such as this – however, spiritual considerations were pretty much a non-issue. Aside from a few individualistic assertions by Alice, such as “I make my own path!” there really aren’t a lot of philosophical implications. The story is very much a cut-and-dried battle between good and evil, without much nuance. (Personally, I wished that some of the villains had been a little more complex.) It doesn’t have the spiritual richness of the “Narnia” films, and feels fairly shallow in the spiritual department.

So should you see it?

If you like fantasy-adventure films with surreal visuals and a large helping of dark humor, you’ll love “Alice in Wonderland.” If, on the other hand, you’re completely turned off by the film’s blending of innocence with the macabre, this is definitely not the movie for you. It’s not the best movie of its kind, but it’s definitely not the worst, either.

VERDICT: 7.5/10
An inventive, yet occasionally unsettling, dark fantasy.

Normalized Score: 4.6

As a fan of both the Harry Potter films and books, I was both pleased and saddened to learn that the “Deathly Hallows” movie is currently in production. I was glad that my favorite volume in the series is under development…but also, a little sad that it’s the last installment in the saga. Fortunately, it appears that a worthy successor is beginning to emerge…

Enter Percy Jackson – a normal kid, who just happens to be the son of the Greek god Poseidon.

“Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” the best-selling fantasy series authored by Rick Riordan, has been heralded as “the next Harry Potter.” While it isn’t quite up to the level of J.K. Rowling’s magnum opus, the series is a fast-paced, witty retelling of Greek myths in the context of modern society. Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, and the rest have all vacated Mount Olympus and taken up residence in the Empire State Building, where they attempt to influence the course of human history and stave off the attacks of predatory monsters. (I’ll address the very obvious worldview implications later on)

The titular character, Perseus Jackson (played effectively by Logan Lerman), is the half-divine (demigod) son of Poseidon and a mortal woman. When his lineage becomes clear, he and his mother are attacked by a vicious harpy and a savage minotaur. This latter skirmish results in the apparent death of Percy’s mother.

After a prolonged battle with the minotaur, Percy and his loyal bodyguard Grover (a satyr) find themselves in Camp Half-Blood, a hidden forest installation that somewhat resembles a Boy Scout ranch. Under the kindly guidance of the centaur Chiron (Pierce Brosnan), young demigods from all around the world are taught how to use their innate powers to battle the monsters that wish humanity harm.

But Percy doesn’t have much time to learn. Zeus’ master weapon – his lightning bolt – has been stolen, and Percy (as the son of Zeus’ brother and rival, Poseidon) is the prime suspect. Now, Percy must find a way to both rescue his mother and recover the stolen bolt before war breaks out between the gods.

Accompanied by Grover the satyr and a feisty daughter of Athena named Annabeth, Percy begins a quest that takes him across the United States in search of some answers. They battle Medusa (Uma Thurman) in a garden-statue emporium (using a shiny iPod touch in place of a reflective shield), and square off with the fire-breathing Hydra of Lerna in Nashville. A casino in Las Vegas stands in for the Island of the Lotus-Eaters, and the fabled Hollywood sign serves as a hidden gateway to Hades. (Irony much?) Wry pop culture references abound, giving the film a don’t-take-this-too-seriously attitude that appeals to viewers young and old.

It’s a smart, well-paced movie that deserves far better reviews than it’s received. Fans of Harry Potter or of Greek mythology in general will not be disappointed. There are a few changes to Rick Riordan’s source material, but they generally serve to add clarity.

At first glance, it sounds like there are a lot of worldview considerations – especially considering the whole issue of the “gods.” However, “Percy Jackson” neatly sidesteps any potential religious debates by making the Greek deities merely stand-ins for classic superheroes. They’re neither omnipotent nor omniscient, and really don’t come across as representatives of an anti-Christian worldview. Zeus and Poseidon really don’t wield any more power than Electro or Aquaman, and they struggle with very human weaknesses.

(It is worth noting, however, that the realm of Hades is a terrifying, Dante-esque vision of the biblical hell, not the quiet, shadowy otherworld portrayed in the original myths.)

Gods and superheroes aside, however, there are undeniably supernatural aspects to this film. Those who disagree with Harry Potter on principle probably shouldn’t see this movie. I personally didn’t find it offensive, but I can understand that some might.

My biggest criticism of “Percy Jackson” is not directed at its makers, but rather at the MPAA members who gave it a PG rating. This is quite possibly the “edgiest” PG movie I have ever seen. The violence and scary images are fast and furious, there’s a fair amount of language, and there are a few innuendoes tossed in as well. Don’t go into this movie thinking you’ll see something along the lines of “The Incredibles” or even the earlier Harry Potter movies – “Percy Jackson” is not suitable for children under the age of ten.

That said, however, it’s still a well-made, exciting movie. It definitely has its flaws, but most older viewers will not find them especially problematic. I would recommend “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” to teen and adult viewers who enjoy the Harry Potter series or are fans of Greek mythology.

It’s not perfect. But it’s still pretty good.

VERDICT: 8/10
An occasionally intense, but creative and well-executed, cinematic fantasy.

Normalized Score: 5.8