Review of Malice in Wonderland (2010) by Keith D — 13 Nov 2011

I'm conflicted, after having watched Malice in Wonderland. The concept was interesting: a loose interpretation of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland set in modern-day England, complete with mature material. Bringing fantasy into reality and vice versa is not only neat, but also brilliant; it's just too bad this film is neither.

First, the good news: the cast is beyond good. Maggie Grace, formerly of Lost fame as Shannon, heads the project as Alice with sincerity and wonder. The gritty, yet charming, Danny Dyer gives his performance as Whitey a Guy Ritchie character-esque twist that really capitalizes on the modernization aspect of this film. Paul Kaye is a wonderful caterpillar, whose character was the best written of the roster, Gary Beadle works a soothing and enigmatic approach to Felix Chester, effectively a black DJ version of Cheshire Cat, and Bronagh Gallagher, a bit player in Pulp Fiction as Trudi, brings a new edge to the basic formula of the Mad Hatter that fits perfectly.

Now, the bad news: the direction is sloppy. Although the cinematography is note worthy, the sequence of events feel mostly jumbled, with rough transition between scenes, and the film struggles alongside Alice to find itself. It wants to innovate and it wants to pay homage, but this project is no multi-tasker. Malice in Wonderland is almost always lost. I understand the necessity for trippiness, but it shouldn't get so wrapped up in mystery that it loses focus as a work of art.

And finally, the ugly news: the script is daft. Too often, there are moments where nothing is happening, necessary or accomplished. The dialogue is nonsense and not the good Alice in Wonderland kind, the lackluster Malice in Wonderland sort. In trying so hard to be something different, it loses the very charm and wit that made Alice in Wonderland memorable. Without an entertaining story to tell, Malice in Wonderland's attempts at innovation end up feeling more like infidelity than originality.

Overall, Malice in Wonderland is disappointing. With a great concept and a good cast, this film really could've been a great cult flick. However, no movie can survive uninspired direction or confused writing, and this unfortunate film has both.