Alice in 3D

H and I were looking for a good movie to see that was playing at a reasonable time. We found that there is a dearth of decent films out there that we both wanted to see. (I can always be convinced to see a crappy action/horror flick.) The choice came down to Iron Man or Alice in Wonderland.
I leaned toward Iron Man, but only because I knew the explosions and robots bashing each other would provide mind numbing escape if nothing else. In the end, the decision came down to showtimes. Alice in Wonderland was playing at a better time.
I went into the film with low expectations. I'd read very mixed reviews. Most of them felt that there was too much flash and antics and not enough story. The harshest reviews called it a Tim Burrton movie without a heart.
I was pleasantly surprised. It was visually chaotic and the characters were over the top, but it is Wonderland after all. Johnny Depp and Helena B. Carter were in full crazy mode. They took the Mad Hatter and the Red Queen to the edge of over the top, but managed to keep from toppling over. The rest of the cast played the parts just as well.
The story is what it is. It follows closely to the original except now Alice is on the brink of adulthood. She must reclaim her inner strength and learn to trust her imagination.
The visuals are lush and make any weakness in the story fade away. I'm not sure if the 3D enhanced the viewing experience, but it certainly didn't hurt it. I'm sure that the movie is just as immersive and lush on a flat screen. It may not be so good on a small screen however.