--- title: "Alice in Wonderland: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/alice-in-wonderland-2010/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/alice-in-wonderland-2010" critics_score: 51 critics_reviews: 20 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Alice in Wonderland (2010): what the critics said Critics' score 51 from 20 reviews: 3 positive, 7 mixed, 10 negative. The consensus leans towards disappointment, though praise for Burton’s visual imagination runs through favourable and unfavourable reviews alike. Critics repeatedly admire the creature designs and strange appearances, with Helena Bonham Carter’s Red Queen the most consistently praised performance. Even several detractors find individual images and characters worth enjoying. The recurring distinction is between an inventive-looking Wonderland and an adventure that struggles to make its inhabitants engaging. Reservations centre on the conventional quest narrative, thin character development and loss of Carroll’s wordplay and dreamlike playfulness. Several critics find the combat generic or the pace ponderous, though the spread of opinion is wide. Little White Lies finds humour and imagination sufficient to outweigh underdeveloped characters, while The Hollywood Reporter considers the spectacle emotionally satisfying. At the other extreme, NME sees an irritating excess of CGI and too little plot. The disagreement extends beyond appearance to whether the film offers much feeling or fun. ## Little White Lies — Anton Bitel Rating 4/5/4. 4 March 2010. Bitel finds the film visually wondrous, funny and imaginative, though its underdeveloped characters are partly obscured by its strengths. He particularly praises the exuberant visuals and performances. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/alice-in-wonderland) ## The Hollywood Reporter — THR Staff Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 14 October 2010. The critic calls the film a thoroughly enjoyable, emotionally satisfying spectacle. They single out Burton’s visual imagination, along with the production design and costumes, for praise. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/alice-wonderland-film-review-29356/) ## Empire — Angie Errigo Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 29 July 2008. The critic finds the film flawed but an enjoyable, distinctly Burtonesque adventure. She particularly praises its visual design and Helena Bonham Carter’s entertaining Red Queen. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/alice-wonderland-2-review/) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 3 March 2010. The page could not be accessed, so the critic’s verdict cannot be verified. No specific praise or complaint is available from the page content. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/alice-in-wonderland-2010) ## Screen Daily — Brent Simon Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 25 February 2010. The available page does not expose the critic’s verdict. No specific praise or complaint is visible in the accessible text. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/alice-in-wonderland/5011309.article) ## Slant Magazine — Ed Gonzalez Rating 2.5/4. 2 March 2010. Gonzalez finds the film visually dazzling but noisy, exhausting, and emotionally under-realized. He praises the Red Queen’s frightening performance and Burton’s inventive imagery, while faulting the acting and Alice’s weakly developed inner journey. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/alice-in-wonderland-4688/) ## Time Out — Dave Calhoun Rating 3/5. 2 March 2010. Calhoun gives the film three out of five stars, indicating a mixed verdict. The available description highlights its collage of characters and episodes from Carroll’s books, but the review text is unavailable. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/alice-in-wonderland-1) ## Radio Times — Alan Jones Rating 2/5. The critic finds Burton’s adaptation oddly conventional and ponderous. The review particularly criticizes its static, television-drama-style opening. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-pdmya5/alice-in-wonderland/) ## The New Yorker Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). The review finds the film visually lavish but more harrying than charming. It praises Helena Bonham Carter’s brisk, well-calibrated Red Queen while faulting the lost wordplay and emphasis on combat. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/alice-in-wonderland) ## Sight and Sound — Lisa Mullen Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). Mullen finds the film frustrating, arguing that its dark, imaginative premise is constrained by a hokey, predictable quest narrative. She praises striking ideas such as the Red Queen’s distorted appearance and the White Queen’s unsettling goodness, but says they pass by too quickly. [Read the review](http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/exclusive/alice_in_wonderland_film_review.php) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 4 March 2010. Bradshaw finds the film dull and overly conventional despite its gothic mood. He praises Burton’s distinctive visual design, while objecting to the Disney-like look of the White Queen’s palace. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/mar/04/alice-in-wonderland-review) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 4 March 2010. Turan finds the film surprisingly inert and derivative despite some successful moments. He praises Burton’s imaginative creatures, especially the Cheshire Cat, while criticizing the tiresome disputes and generic battle scenes. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-mar-04-la-et-alice4-2010mar04-story.html) ## The AV Club — Keith Phipps Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 4 March 2010. Phipps finds Burton’s film frustratingly impersonal and says it loses the books’ dreamlike playfulness. He singles out Helena Bonham Carter’s Red Queen as the only character who becomes memorable. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/alice-in-wonderland-1798164468) ## The New York Times — A. O. Scott Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 4 March 2010. Scott’s verdict is negative, finding the film dull and lumbering. He faults its failure to bring energy or magic to Lewis Carroll’s world. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/05/movies/05alice.html) ## Collider — Harrison Pierce Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 5 June 2010. The critic finds the film a delightful, imaginative return to Wonderland that surpasses similar fantasy sequels. They single out Burton’s visual style and the performances of Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter for praise. [Read the review](https://collider.com/alice-in-wonderland-blu-ray-review/) ## The Playlist Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 2 March 2010. The page is blocked, so the critic’s verdict cannot be determined. No praise or complaint from the review is available to report. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/review-alice-in-wonderland-finds-20100302/) ## Den of Geek — Michael Leader Rating 3 out of 5. 4 March 2010. Leader finds the film a shallow, creatively moribund spectacle that squanders its source material. He praises the visuals and the final showdown, while faulting the thin narrative and unconvincing Mad Hatter. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/alice-in-wonderland-review-3/) ## HeyUGuys — Jon Lyus Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 26 February 2010. The critic finds the film an uneven mix that never captures the stories’ inherent magic. They praise Burton’s haunting designs and several strong performances, but fault Alice’s underdeveloped journey and the film’s lack of cohesion. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/review-alice-in-wonderland/) ## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 3 March 2010. Wilkinson finds the film mediocre and its story too randomly assembled to sustain tension. She particularly criticizes the ineffective 3D, which fails to make Wonderland immersive. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/alice-in-wonderland-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) ## NME — Owen Nicholls Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 5 March 2010. Nicholls pans the film as an irritating mess of style over substance. He singles out the sparse plot and forced CGI-heavy visuals, while finding Depp and Wasikowska the best parts. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/blogs/the-movies-blog/alice-in-wonderland-so-bad-it-even-manages-to-make-johnny-depp-look-rubbish-41978) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/alice-in-wonderland-2010.md