I enjoyed AIW and my 6 and 4 year old did also, and they aren't really familiar with the original. I was worried whether or not the youngest one would sit throught it but they did great, although the 3D glasses didn't fit my 4 yr old. It did "refresh" my memory of the original ("drink me," "eat me,") I love Johnny Depp and went to see this because of him, but he wasn't really "mad." Helena Bonham Carter was funnier! Some of my friends thought it would be "creepy" or "dark" but I didn't think it was at all.