When SyFy's expensive and ambitious project Tin Man managed to exceed expectations, it was only a matter of time before they got started on a few new projects. The first was a fresh look at the popular whimsical children's tale Alice in Wonderland, and the mini-series (simply titled Alice) premiered in December of 2009. Split into two parts and about three hours in length, the ratings were high and the response varied, but its success was undeniable. Now this fun and adventurous tale is available on DVD and Blu-ray, and the question is whether or not it is worth getting for your personal collection. The answer is absolutely yes … with a few qualms.
The story surrounds a new Alice (Caterina Scorsone), an older and tougher version of her sweet counterpart who works as a judo sensei and can't handle relationships very well. She's been involved with a handsome and mysterious man named Jack Chase (Philip Winchester), but when she invites him to meet her mother things go south. He offers her a ring, she turns him down, and when she runs after him to return the ring he left, she sees him getting kidnapped. Alice is confronted by the White Rabbit and he takes the ring, so she follows him through the Looking Glass to look for her lost love.
Things take a complicated turn when Alice finds herself in Wonderland and hears what nefarious things the Queen of Hearts (the wonderful Kathy Bates) is up to now. Humans are being kidnapped from their world and sapped of all their positive emotions, forced into a zombie-like slavery. Their emotions are drugs for the people of Wonderland, and the ring Jack gave her (which Alice secretly put on her finger before the White Rabbit could take it) is actually the Stone of Wonderland. It creates the portal to the real world, and that means everyone is out to get her and it now. She finds an untrustworthy ally in Hatter (Andrew-Lee Potts), a crook trying to play both sides, and they stumble upon the last of the White Knights named Charlie (Matt Frewer).
Danger, romance, betrayal and tragedy all come and go in this fun and unique tale, and it really was a great new adaptation of an old story. Many of the characters from the book are updated and fit into this darker and more steam-punk style world, such as Mad Hatter, the Dodo, Caterpillar, and even the Walrus and the Carpenter. For a fan of the book and Disney movie, this is a charming vision of what would happen in a more grown up version of the same world. Special mention must be made of acting on the part of Potts as Hatter, who is probably the real breakout character, and Frewer as the bumbling Don Quixote-like Charlie.
Honestly, I'd heavily support that mini-series be turned into a real show. Wonderland is a rich realm that deserves a more thorough look. There are several visual ideas in Alice that really pay off. An example would be the world inside her head where Dee and Dum torture people, or the former palace of the kings hidden in the forest, or even just the iconic image of the 'House of Cards' falling down. There is a great deal that can be explored here, and the characters are likable enough that fans would be glad to see what comes next, even if it isn't the happily ever after they were looking for. Just keep it in mind, SyFy!
The downside to the DVD is that there aren't many special features, and this is a downright shame considering how many questions pop up about why they chose to do certain things in it. It would've been wonderful to have a behind the scenes featurette or to pick the mind of the director and writer of this story, especially regarding the character design for some of the interpretations, but all we get is an audio commentary by the stars.
Overall Alice will appeal to people who enjoyed the fairy tale with a twist concept of Tin Man already and loved Alice in Wonderland. It is not for everyone, but fantasy fans with a great imagination will likely want to sink right into Wonderland and the vibrant characters within. The lack of special features is a disappointment, but the Alice itself is definitely worth a watch.
ComicsOnline gives Alice 4 mad hatters out of 5.
Get Alice now on Blu-ray of DVD at Amazon.com.
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