On W List of Movie Reviews
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Wonderland (2003)
Rate:
8
Viewed:
4/05, 4/25
4/25:
Wonderland is quite chaotic, but it happened for real.
There are two versions of how the murders went down, and the authorities aren't sure which part is the
truth. Only the participants know. Out of everybody, Eddie Nash, the primary target, lived the longest,
passing away in 2014 at age 85. Lucky guy. If you find some elements too familiar, that's because it picks up
where Boogie Nights left off, especially with Alfred Molina at the house.
I won't characterize Wonderland as a Val Kilmer picture. Although the cast is star-studded, it's
mostly story-driven with fine performances, especially from Dylan McDermott who put the focus on the right
track. Val Kilmer takes care of the rest during the second half. It's easy to tell how childlike his
character is. Once I follow the story and understand the who's, the how's, and the why's, it becomes a
satisfying movie experience.
If there's a negative, it's the camera work. I think I'm okay with this preference. At first, the shaking was
out of control. Then, it's more calm before turning into obscure, making the murders hard to
see. Would Wonderland be a better film if a different approach was taken? Maybe. What saved it the
most is the quality of the narration.
All in all, to be able to appreciate Wonderland probably comes down to either ignoring the seedy
side of the people involved or caring to know what happened to them.