This Tim Burton-produced affair from director James Bobin (the helmer in charge of the two recent Muppet big-screen reinventions) certainly has the feel of a trippy Burton fantasy, not to mention the presences of Burton stalwarts Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter (as the Mad Hatter and Iracebeth, respectively). Yet, for all the stylistic flourishes, it is the narrative – a time-jumping affair with Alice (Mia Wasikowska) attempting to stay one step ahead of Time (Sacha Baron Cohen) in order to learn from the past rather than change it – that stalls and falls quite flat. Wit, rhyme and rhythm come and go, failing to draw much attention, and the proceedings are overstuffed with repeated plot lines meant to link characters and their motivations and all of the usual pretzel logic derived from time travel stories. In the end, Alice Through the Looking Glass never descends into the black pit of the truly horrific; instead, it simply fades from memory. (Opens wide Friday) (PG) Grade: D+
This article appears in May 25 – Jun 1, 2016.
