Alice and the Wonderland Looking Glass

Alice Through the Looking Glass is a 2016 film that serves as the compelling sequel to Tim Burton’s 2010 film, Alice in Wonderland. Drawing inspiration from Lewis Carroll’s novels, the movie is a complex, stunning mix of fantasy, adventure, and drama that primarily revolves around Alice Kingsleigh's fantastical journey back to Wonderland.

Directed by James Bobin, known for his work on Flight of the Conchords and The Muppets, and produced by the substantial talent and creativity of Tim Burton, the film comes with high expectations and does not disappoint. It boasts a dazzling cavalcade of stars, including Mia Wasikowska returning as Alice, Johnny Depp reprising his role as the whimsical and somewhat perturbing Mad Hatter, and Helena Bonham Carter as the capricious and temperamental Red Queen. There are also notable new characters that add extra vibrancy and intrigue to the story.

The plot commences with Alice returning from her bold globe-trotting maritime adventures to find her life in London considerably difficult, with societal expectations bearing heavy on her shoulders. This push-pull relationship with her Victorian world forces her to question her place and ambitions in it. It is at this moment that she is drawn back into the mirror into the fantastical world of Underland (a.k.a. Wonderland).

Once back into the flamboyant world of eccentric characters and vivid, otherworldly landscapes, Alice learns that her dear friend, the Mad Hatter, is spiraling into severe bouts of melancholy over his missing family. With the conviction that they are still alive, albeit without proper evidence, Hatter’s madness intensifies, leading to his significant deterioration. Alice decides to challenge the ticking laws of time itself to help her friend and embarks on a perilous journey.

At the heart of the movie is Time, a peculiar character played by Buzz Cohen. He is half-human and half-clock - a surreal personification of time who holds the Chronosphere, a metallic sphere that powers all time in Underland. This mighty tool allows its user to travel back in time and alter the course of events. Alice must take on Time itself, risking the realities of past, present, and future, setting her on an adventure that is as riveting as it is fantastical.

The film plays brilliantly with the narratives of time, exploring the past, and delving into the reasons behind the Red Queen's fury, the origins of the White Queen, and the Hatter's tragic history. It acquires a deeply nostalgic tone as we revisit these characters, not as they are, but as the culmination of what they once were.

The visual appeal of Alice Through the Looking Glass is astounding. With an interplay between real-life settings and heavyweight CGI, from the opulence of lavish balls and courtrooms to the riotous colors of Underland’s diverse landscapes. The movie engulfs spectators into a space that is as awe-inspiring as it is surreal, delivering a dreamlike cinematic experience that stays true to Carroll's original depiction.

While Alice Through the Looking Glass continues the eccentric, mindbending journey of its predecessor, it also unveils more profound elements of friendship, familial bonds, the consequences of actions, forgiveness, and perhaps most prominently, the inevitability and complexity of time. It imparts insights into the importance of seizing the day and not taking time for granted.

The film also portrays Alice as a bolder and more audacious protagonist compared to the first movie. She fearlessly confronts social norms and roles that the real world imposes on her and is equally as valiant in the psychedelic world of Underland.

Alice Through the Looking Glass stays true to Carroll's whimsical world while introducing novel elements that give the narrative a new edge. Viewers of all ages can enjoy its visually captivating universe and engaging storyline. Though the film is fitting for those seeking an escape into a magical landscape, it also serves those who prefer their movies with a dash of depth and reflection.