Review of Wonderland

Introduction

As far as I`m concerned, murder mysteries should take place either in a Victorian mansion over the space of a weekend, or unravel during the span of a long journey, à la Agatha Christie`s best novels. You know where you are with those particular stories - the butler probably did something he shouldn`t have, and the train will, at some point, be plunged into darkness - only to re-enter daylight minus one breathing individual. The less heroin, pornography and cuss-words, the better.

Which leaves `Wonderland` at a severe disadvantage, seeing as it contains all the above faux pas, and nothing approaching a 75-year old eccentric millionaire from the home counties poisoned by his man servant. Val Kilmer plays legendary adult industry star `Jon Holmes` who, after his career was over, fell into the world of smack, crack, junk, skunk and other slang words that seem to rhyme.

Reportedly having had sex with over 4100 women in his lifetime (move over Gene Simmons), the movie captures a period in which he was seeing a teenage girl named Dawn (Kate Bosworth), whilst estranged from his wife (played by Lisa Kudrow). Moreover, it also depicts Holmes at the height of his criminal activity, culminating in his alleged involvement in the 1981 `Wonderland` murders.

Much like Woody Allen`s 2005 comeback special `Melinda and Melinda`, `Wonderland`s main thrust is to tell the same story from two different angles, although this time it`s less `comedy and tragedy`, and more just opposing spins on the same tragedy. David Lind (played by Dylan McDermott) is a member of the drug gang that Holmes has become mixed up in, and when questioned by police, tells his side of the story which is later contradicted by Holmes` own account. These two sides of the same story, hopelessly disparate, eventually come together towards the end of the film, culminating in what I believe is called `the big ending`.

Video

The immediate problem when you`re watching the DVD at home is that many portions of the film are extremely badly lit. This becomes a nightmare in the later, more crucial scenes, as you are frantically straining your eyes to see what`s actually going on. They should`ve taken an angle-poise on set.

The rest of the picture is well shot, if not a little too `this is a drugs film` as far as image distortion etc. is concerned. The clarity of picture (other than the above instances) is good throughout, and the murky feel helps convey the dark mood of the picture.

Audio

Seventies flavoured rock-a-go-go! All the kind of country-tinged rock `n` swagger you could possibly expect is in here for good measure, and considering that most of the cast look like they could roadie for `The Eagles`, then this is probably not a coincidence. Bad Company`s `Shooting Star` (Paul Rogers before he urinated all over Freddie Mercury`s grave. No offence Paul) and Patti Smith`s `Gloria` are just two examples of those included.

Features

This is the `Prism leisure` release, which forsakes any extra material to make way for an RRP of £5.99, which is not to be sneered at. The only minor glitch with this tends to be that the original release, complete with extras and all, usually comes down to an equally low price around the time of the Prism release - so keep your eyes peeled.

Conclusion

Forget all the inflated hyperbole that you`ve heard about art being vastly helped by masses and masses of white powder, chemical solutions or blocks of resin; `Wonderland` exemplifies all that is wrong with drugs in the sphere of cinematography. By focusing on the doped underworld, the picture ironically becomes out of focus and meanders away from the undeniable promise within.

For example, Lisa Kudrow manages a fantastic performance as Sharon Holmes, the wife that escapes her husband because of his early pornographic leanings and narcissistic tendencies. Throw away all preconceptions of her (`Romy and Michelle`s High School Reunion` and all that), because the display here is more of the calibre of superb flick `The opposite of Sex` than it is of her perma-dippy sap portrayed in Television`s very own `Friends`.

In fact, most of the performances stand up as being above average, and when the trajectory of the story becomes apparent after about forty minutes, `Wonderland` manages to be, for a short while at least, captivating. James Cox`s explorations of the seedy and unpleasant lives of the `past it` star-turned-junkie are well researched and, although not going to `Trainspotting` extremes, without unnecessary censorship.

Unfortunately, its very undoing is its attempt to be too `druggy`, relying far too heavily on the stoner verse spouting from Kilmer`s bearded gob than on the shrewd and painful support of wife Sharon. Kilmer had already shown that he could ably portray a washed up, spaced-out charlatan in `The Doors`, but Holmes was another kettle of fish entirely. Less (supposed) floating genius and more coked-up charmless waster, there really is nothing much to like about Kilmer`s Holmes, which makes the task of watching `Wonderland` rather arduous.

Add to this a great deal of half baked gang-land nonsense, and an extremely poor denoument, and what you have before you is something of a come-down in which expectations turn to dust in a matter of minutes; your viewing pleasure up in smoke.

Remember kids - `just say no`.