I am just copying my responses from other topics as to not waste time writing the same exact thing:
Of course Disney butchered the books. It is hard not to, but it was still entertaining and wonderful. The visuals were great, it still had the majority of the storyline, and I am fine with the liberties Tim Burton took. The Mad Hatter is a pretty key character in the books. And I really do not feel that he took the spotlight in the movie. Sure, a lot of the story had him in it, but it was because you were hearing the destruction of Wonderland from him. Alice was still the main character. And I'd say this butchering was more like a carving. Tim Burton Carved the story into his version of it. People are allowed to interpret the stories how they like, hence the first movie. The second was more of a continuation of the '51 movie than the second book.
I loved this movie. Loved it. The pacing was slow, but not uninteresting. It was a build up and gave parts of the story up as it went along. The last half hour, although still good, had a quicker pace. I think if they drew the ending out a bit more if would have done better for overall pacing. I did not find the ending violent like others have=thought. I think the people who think it is too violent are expecting a childish Disney movie (not to say this is not bad, I love all of the animated movies thus far). I mean, really? The entire second book is a war. Now, as anyone knows, they did take a bunch of liberties with the storyline. They made the Red Queen a hybrid of the Red Queen and the Queen of Hearts. I am glad they made the White Queen her sister or it would have thrown it off a bit. Also happy they made it cards versus chess, it makes it a smaller change from the book. I do like that it is more the second book, but still a continuation to the first movie. It makes so much more sense if you think of Disney's first movie and not the books. I do wish they had more of a flashback. Little Alice was sooooo adorable.
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