Quite simply put, Alice: Through the Looking Glass is one of those sequels. Ones that should never have been made. But of course Hollywood is all about the money, and given that the first film made over $1 billion it seems like a second was inevitable. The most glaringly obvious thing here is that whilst James Bobin directs with skill, there is all style and little substance.
Mia Wasikowska reprises the role of Alice, who must return to Underland to save the Hatter. She therefore goes back in time to save his estranged family (cue the incessant time puns and clichéd time travel problems). Alice is able to do this by stealing a chronosphere from Time, the embodiment of time itself played by Sacha Baron Cohen. The plot, arguably the most important part of any film, is where Alice falls flat. It bears no resemblance to Lewis Carroll's books whatsoever, and it seems like screenwriter Linda Woolverton was genuinely struggling to think of a story that would sell. But the visuals are as terrific as ever. Especially when it comes to Time's realm, with it's dark and gothic qualities, and the mechanical creatures that dwell within. It's primary inhabitant is equally impressive. When Sacha Baron Cohen was cast I had my doubts as to whether he would suit the role, especially as he was advertised as the villain of the film. But his performance as Time is one of the best, and provides that touch of wonder that Through the Looking Glass desperately needs.
If only this could be said for the supporting cast members. Helena Bonham Carter spends most of her time as the Red Queen screeching, snarling and sulking. Even more so than before. And Anne Hathaway overacts as the White Queen to the point of cringe-worthy. Unfortunately we see far too little of Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter. The irrepressible charisma and dramatic flair that he gave the last film is sadly missing here, and even when the Hatter is at his happiest Depp's performance is unusually subdued. As for the rest of the characters, it seems that they were thrown in with no real reasoning besides providing us with a few familiar faces (or voices, as the case may be). As a result, the entire film attempts to keep us hooked with its action sequences. These are lively, exciting and make good use of the excellent visual effects. They keep the film afloat amidst mostly mundane performances and a narrative that is inconsistent and overly concerned with backstory. However, a film that keeps going simply because of it's set pieces is never a good thing. On the upside, Danny Elfman's soundtrack is fantastic. Despite being pretty much identical to the one he composed for Tim Burton's previous installment, it provides that haunting and whimsical tone that gives Through the Looking Glass some manner of charm. Even with all of it's faults.
Despite being a deeply flawed film and nowhere near as good as its predecessor, Alice manages to provide a feast for the eyes and some measure of excitement. But that doesn't change the fact that it's not the same without Tim Burton directing and really it's a sequel that shouldn't have been.
