Alice In Wonderland (PG)

Though not nearly as sinister as his last film Sweeney Todd, this Alice definitely draws on the darker side of Lewis Carroll's classics Alice In Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass.

It's not really an adaptation but a reimagining of the two novels, weaving elements from each into a familiar but fresh family adventure.

And in this version, escapism is taken to an extreme.

A 19-year-old Alice (Mia Wasikowska) tumbles down the rabbit-hole into Wonderland - which is really Underland, she just misheard it - and although she doesn't remember being there before or recognise any of her childhood friends, they've been waiting for her.

Johnny Depp is perfect as the mercury-poisoned Mad Hatter whose joy at seeing his old friend again is matched by any fan's excitement at watching him in a role he was born to play.

Unfortunately, the years have not been kind to the Hatter.

Like the rest of Underland's inhabitants, he lives under the tyranny of the sadistic Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) whose head is wickedly deformed thanks to CGI wizardry while her sister the White Queen (a gothic Anne Hathaway) steers well clear and struggles with her pacifist vows.

Resisting the temptation to drift too far into Narnia territory, the film stays faithful to the spirit of the original books and weaves together a far more suitable structure for the big screen.

Aesthetically, it's a treat - especially in 3D, which is hardly noticeable until Alice delves down into the psychedelic world of talking flowers and walking chess pieces.

The heavyweight cast more than match expectations and, although it's hardly going to change the world, there are few films as fun to watch as this one.