You realise that the only reason Through the Looking Glass is different from its many special-effect summer counterparts is its fascinating characters sprung from the book.

Curiously lacking a sense of the ‘uncommon nonsense’ and freakish fun of the source novel, Alice Through The Looking Glass falls short of its potential.

It’s a genuine family movie, enjoyable to kids and adults both, with only small weaknesses.

When compared to Burton’s work, this one pales in comparison. If you haven’t seen his film, you are bound to find this wondrous, a journey worth taking for sure.

The 3D, the sense of adventure and the striking visuals are all just frills trying to hard sell and underwhelming story. And if that doesn’t do it, there’s the one last gimmick of Alice Through The Looking Glass being the last film where you can catch the charisma of the late Alan Rickman. It’s all part of an elaborate marketing equation that’s certain to give plausible results. Ironically, it’s attached to a story that urges kids and adults to believe in the impossible.

The film, though CGI-driven, has little that’s above ordinary or exciting for that matter. Sacha Baron Cohen as Time tries his best to liven up things but it’s never enough. The effects are woebegone and look pretty much classless.

Ultimately this is a sequel that arrived five years too late, and brings nothing fascinating to audiences who have mostly forgotten the previous movie. This is a rare misstep from Disney whose other films lately have been of super high quality. And if the previous movie was at the advent of 3D, I wish this sequel signals the end of it.

The film misses Burton’s odd charm, is largely devoid of humour and, in spite of Hathaway, Depp and Bonham Carter, is mostly a waste of time.

The overt attempts of feminist touches come across as manufactured. The reconciliation in the end too isn’t good enough. At least Alice in Wonderland had Tim Burton’s visual artistry. This one isn’t remotely interesting in that regard, even if watched with a magnifying glass.

As gothic as Burton’s first take on Alice was, James Bobin’s film is far more gaudy and colourful…