Make no mistake, despite the wraping of a Lewis Carroll story this film is very much the vision of Tim Burton brought to life... and just as he has his fans, he also has numerous critics.

From Walt Disney Pictures and visionary director Tim Burton comes an epic 3D fantasy adventure ALICE IN WONDERLAND, a magical and imaginative twist on some of the most beloved stories of all time.  JOHNNY DEPP stars as the Mad Hatter and MIA WASIKOWSKA as 19-year-old Alice, who returns to the whimsical world she first encountered as a young girl, reuniting with her childhood friends:  the White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, and of course, the Mad Hatter.  Alice embarks on a fantastical journey to find her true destiny and end the Red Queen’s reign of terror.  The all-star cast also includes ANNE HATHAWAY, HELENA BONHAM CARTER and CRISPIN GLOVER.

Capturing the wonder of Lewis Carroll's beloved "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" (1865) and "Through the Looking-Glass" (1871) with stunning, avant-garde visuals and the most charismatic characters in literary history, ALICE IN WONDERLAND comes to the big screen in Disney Digital 3D™ on March 5, 2010.

It was inevitable that Johnny Depp would find his way into this film, and of course his association makes the film become a palatable family blockbuster rather than the dark and imposing fantasy film it could have been. The settings and scenery are indeed stunning and the star himself looks fantastic in the Mad Hatter outfit complete with ginger hair and eyebrows. Joining him are a very British cast who all sound familiar and provide the necessary local talent to the story. Standing out amongst these is the ever reliable Helena Bonham Carter as the evil Red Queen, complete with a wonderful appearance combining the best of live-action and seamless CGI. The same cannot be said of Crispin Glover's character which moves in a jerky and unrealistic manner undermining several scenes in which he features.

The totally CGI Cheshire Cat is superb and the other creations like Tweedledum and Tweedledee make for great eye-candy but you are left wondering where the substance is. Burton makes film's that amaze and enthrall you, but leave you a little empty inside... he is the very embodiment of a popcorn filmmaker. With 3D added to the mix, you do get a complete vision and although some of the 'fantasy' world of Wonderland are easily manipulated to make good use of technology, you'll find the depth and scale of the bookend real life sequences offering something new.

In these sequences Mia Wasikowska excels as a strong Alice who feels rail-roaded into a life already planned out for her. Wonderland offers and escape, but she struggles to come to terms with what is fantasy and what is real. It's a brave casting choice which just about comes off... the only problem is that as the character is much older than the child Alice we have seen here musings at times seem illogical.

Overall this is a wonderfully compelling feast for the eyes, with some convincing 3D and superb character acting from the starry cast, but upon reflection it really has nothing to say and seems wrapped up in celebrating the virtues of all things twee.

Rating: ***

Cast: Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Crispin Glover, Matt Lucas, Marton Csokas, Tim Pigott-Smith, Lindsay Duncan, Geraldine James, Leo Bill, Jemma Powell, Mairi Ella Challen and Mia Wasikowska as Alice
Voice Cast: Stephen Fry, Alan Rickman, Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall, Christopher Lee, Paul Whitehouse, Barbara Windsor
Director: Tim Burton
Executive producer: Peter Tobyansen, Chris Lebenzon
Producers: Richard D. Zanuck, Joe Roth, Suzanne Todd, Jennifer Todd
Co-producers:   Katterli Frauenfelder, Tom Peitzman
Certificate: PG
Release Date: March 5, 2010
Runtime: 105mins

Official Site: http://www.disneymovies.co.uk/alice/

Alice in Wonderland will also be available at your local Imax screen.

Be sure to read our great interviews with Johnny Depp and Tim Burton as well as the rest of the cast.