DIRECTOR: James Bobin LEAD CAST: Johnny
Depp, Anne Hathaway, Mia Wasikowska, Rhys Ifans, Matt Lucas, Helena Bonham Carter,
Sacha Baron Cohen SCREENWRITER: Linda Woolverton PRODUCER: Tim
Burton, Joe Roth, Suzanne Todd, Jennifer Todd EDITOR: Andrew
Weisblum MUSICAL
DIRECTOR: Danny Elfman GENRE: Fantasy Adventure CINEMATOGRAPHER:
Stuart Dryburgh DISTRIBUTOR: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures LOCATION: United
States RUNNING
TIME: 112 minutes
Technical
assessment: 3.5
Moral
assessment: 3.25
CINEMA
rating: PG 13
After three years of sailing in the Straits of Malacca, feisty
captain Alice Kingsleigh (Mia Wasikowska) returns to London only to learn
from her mother that their family company and properties have been taken over
by her former fiancé. They may still
keep at least her mother’s house but in exchange for her father’s treasured
ship. Alice is not willing to give it
up. On the advice of her butterfly
friend Absolem, Alice travels through a mirror to Underland where she reunites
with her friends including the Mad Hatter—Tarrant Hightopp (Johnny Depp)
who is sick due to the misfortune that has come upon his family. To help the Mad Hatter she steals the
Chronosphere and successfully travels back to the past after many struggles in
time and space. When the mirror appears again, Alice returns to real time
and reunites with her mother who then gives her full support to keep the ship.
A sequel of 2010 ‘s Alice
in Wonderland, Alice Through the Looking Glass is marked by
spectacular visual effects to the delight of the viewers, especially the magical
transition into a different time and space. These are put together in a
well-developed plot where characters were logically built up. Acting,
particularly, Wasikowska, is performed excellently with meaningful delivery of
lines. Supporting actors/actresses also did well in their acting and helped
keep the focus of the story on the main character, thus making Alice Through the Looking Glass a
woman’s film because it highlights female strength.
Valuing family is a noble attitude and so is honoring
the parents. A person who embraces these values may possess innate kindness to
value other relationships like friendships and willing to take sacrifices for a
good cause. Alice Through the
Looking Glass presents this positive message through the character of an
empowered woman. She bravely holds captainship of water navigation in honor of
her father, she takes time out to think over crucial decisions and cares for
her mother, she knows priorities and when time is of the essence. While
both giving and seeking forgiveness may be difficult for some people, the film
projects this value as something that frees individuals from life’s miseries
and brings them to a peaceful reconciliation and the truest happiness. The film is loaded with action fantasy and
some dialogues may need the guidance of adults for young viewers to understand.
