Tim Burton’s take on Underland—not Wonderland, if you’re being a stickler for the 2010 script—changed how a whole generation looks at Lewis Carroll’s fever dream. It wasn't just about the tea. It was about the trauma, the weirdly oversized heads, and Johnny Depp’s neon orange eyebrows. When people talk about the characters of Alice in Wonderland movie, they usually aren't thinking about the 1951 cartoon anymore. They’re thinking about that gritty, Victorian-gothic-meets-CGI aesthetic that made a billion dollars at the box office.
Honestly? It's kind of a miracle it worked.
Alice Kingsleigh isn't the passive seven-year-old from the books. In the movie, Mia Wasikowska plays her as a nineteen-year-old girl escaping a stifling marriage proposal. She’s got this quiet, steely resolve that feels very modern. But let’s be real. Most of us didn't show up for the coming-of-age subtext. We showed up for the Mad Hatter and the Red Queen.
The Absolute Chaos of Tarrant Hightopp
Johnny Depp’s Mad Hatter is... a lot. He’s not just "mad" in the sense of being silly; he’s suffering from literal mercury poisoning, which was a very real occupational hazard for Victorian hatters. Burton and Depp leaned hard into that tragedy. His eyes are huge. His skin looks like it’s seen better days. One minute he’s charming and reciting the Jabberwocky poem, the next he’s slipping into a thick Scottish accent because he’s losing his mind.
It’s a polarizing performance. Some critics thought it was too much "Johnny Depp being Johnny Depp," but if you look at the lore, his Tarrant Hightopp is the emotional heart of the story. He’s waiting for the "Right Alice." He’s a revolutionary. He isn't just sitting at a table waiting for tea; he's a craftsman whose life was destroyed by a dragon. That’s a heavy shift from the source material.
Why the Red Queen and White Queen Aren't Just "Good vs. Evil"
Helena Bonham Carter as Iracebeth, the Red Queen, is probably the best part of the entire 2010 film. That massive head? Not just a CGI trick for laughs. It represents her ego and her insecurity. She’s obsessed with being loved, but since she’s convinced nobody will, she settles for being feared. "Off with their heads!" is a defense mechanism. She’s a bully, but a deeply pathetic one.
Then you’ve got Anne Hathaway’s White Queen, Mirana. On paper, she’s the hero. But if you watch her closely, she’s super weird. She glides around with her hands held up like she’s constantly posing for a painting. She refuses to kill anything herself, yet she’s perfectly fine sending Alice to fight a giant monster on her behalf. There’s this subtle, underlying hypocrisy to her character that makes her way more interesting than a standard fairy tale princess. She’s "good," but she’s also a little bit "off."
The CG Heavyweights: Blue Caterpillars and Grinning Cats
The characters of Alice in Wonderland movie also rely heavily on some legendary voice acting. Alan Rickman as Absolem the Caterpillar is iconic. His voice is like velvet and gravel mixed together. He’s the one who forces Alice to face her identity, repeatedly asking, "Who are you?" It’s a classic existential crisis wrapped in blue smoke.
Then there’s the Cheshire Cat, voiced by Stephen Fry. This version of the cat isn't just a prankster; he’s a bit of a coward who eventually finds his courage. His ability to evaporate into mist is used for more than just a disappearing act—it’s how he survives the Red Queen’s reign. The design is slightly unsettling, with those rows of needle-sharp teeth, which fits the darker tone Burton was aiming for.
The Supporting Cast of Weirdos
- The Knave of Hearts (Stayne): Crispin Glover brings a creepy, elongated energy to this role. He’s the Red Queen’s enforcer, and his loyalty is... questionable at best. He’s basically the dark shadow of the court.
- The March Hare: He’s constantly throwing things. Cups, spoons, whatever is within reach. He’s much more visibly traumatized than the Hatter, living in a state of permanent "fight or flight" mode.
- Bayard the Bloodhound: A newcomer to the lore, Bayard adds a layer of grounded stakes. He’s a family man (or dog) whose wife and pups are held hostage by the Queen. It’s a small detail that makes the world feel inhabited by real consequences.
- The Dormouse (Mallymkun): Forget the sleepy mouse in the teapot. Mallymkun is a swashbuckling warrior with a needle for a sword. She’s the one who pokes the eye out of the Bandersnatch. She’s fierce.
Behind the Scenes: The Practical Side of the Magic
Even though the movie looks like a digital painting, the actors had to deal with some pretty grueling conditions. Most of it was filmed on green screens in a massive warehouse. Imagine being Helena Bonham Carter, having to sit in hair and makeup for three hours every morning just to have your hairline moved back so the digital team could inflate your head later.
Colleen Atwood, the costume designer, did some heavy lifting here. The clothes aren't just outfits; they tell the story. Alice’s dress literally changes size and shape as she grows and shrinks, often being repurposed from whatever fabric she can find, like curtains or dollhouse clothes. This tactile detail helps ground the characters of Alice in Wonderland movie in a reality that feels lived-in, despite the flying cats.
Misconceptions About the Characters
A lot of people think this movie is a direct remake of the books. It’s not. It’s actually more of a sequel or a reimagining. In the film’s logic, Alice has been to Underland before, but she’s suppressed the memory. This is why the characters are so frustrated with her. To them, she’s a legend who forgot she was a hero.
The Jabberwocky isn't just a poem here; it’s a literal weapon of mass destruction controlled by the Red Queen. By turning the nonsense poem into a physical beast, Burton turned a whimsical story into a "Chosen One" narrative. Some people hate that change. They think it ruins the point of Carroll’s nonsense. Others think it gives the characters more agency.
Actionable Tips for Revisiting the Movie
If you’re planning a rewatch, keep an eye on the background characters. The Red Queen’s court is full of people wearing "prosthetic" flaws—fake big noses, fake bellies—just to please her. It’s a biting commentary on social conformity that most people miss the first time around.
Also, pay attention to the color palette. Notice how the colors become more vibrant as Alice regains her "muchness." At the start, Underland is gray and dying. By the time the Frabjous Day arrives, the world is exploding with color. It’s a visual representation of Alice’s mental state.
To get the most out of the experience:
- Watch the 2010 film and the 2016 sequel, Alice Through the Looking Glass, back-to-back to see the full arc of the Hatter’s family.
- Look up the concept art by Michael Kutsche. It reveals a lot about the anatomical weirdness of the characters.
- Listen for Alan Rickman’s final performance in the sequel; it’s a bittersweet farewell to one of the best voices in cinema.
Underland is a place of madness, but the movie suggests that "all the best people are." Whether you’re a fan of the CGI or a Lewis Carroll purist, there’s no denying that these versions of the characters have left a massive footprint on pop culture. They’re weird, they’re messy, and they’re definitely not for kids who are scared of the dark. That’s exactly why they work.
Key Takeaways for Fans
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- Alice is an adult dealing with societal expectations, not just a lost child.
- The Mad Hatter is a tragic figure, not just a comic relief character.
- The Red Queen represents the danger of deep-seated insecurity and absolute power.
- Absolem serves as the philosophical guide, transitioning from a caterpillar to a butterfly as Alice evolves.
To dive deeper into the world of Underland, research the Victorian era's "mercury hatter" history to understand the real-life inspiration for Tarrant Hightopp's erratic behavior. You can also compare the 2010 character designs with the original John Tenniel illustrations to see how Tim Burton translated 19th-century sketches into 21st-century cinema.