Movie Review: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

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Country: USA
Release Date: July 15, 2005

Movie Review: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
by Max Braden
Published: July 15, 2005

Distributor:	Director:	Writers:	Cast:
Warner Bros.	Tim Burton	Screenplay: John August Book: Roald Dahl	Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka Freddie Highmore as Charlie Bucket Christopher Lee as Dr. Wonka David Kelly as Grandpa Joe
For more information: IMDb Link

The teaser trailer for "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" which Warner Bros. began running in December 2004 (see Apple's Movie Trailers - "Trailer 1") was, without a doubt in my mind, the worst trailer to come out of Hollywood in a year or more. The idea alone of meddling with the 1971 classic "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" was playing with fire. Then to be assaulted with a grating chipmunk-voiced Wonka theme song over images of a pale-faced child-like Johnny Depp... well, it didn't help that at the time Michael Jackson was headline news on charges of molesting children; the resemblance was unavoidable. Movie trailers aren't supposed to make you think, 'now there's a movie I won't pay to see.' And even up through this week of the release of the movie, I've come across maybe two people who wanted to see it. I wasn't one of them.

What's really unfortunate about that initial misstep in advertising is that it was way off the mark. "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" is actually a good movie. It has its flaws, and director Tim Burton's style isn't for everyone, but I suggest audiences set aside previous concerns and give the movie a fair shot. Get past that one-time Wonka song and you may be pleasantly surprised as I was.

Based on Roald Dahl's book ("Charlie and..."), the 1971 "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" told the story of a reclusive chocolatier who allows five children to enter his mysterious factory and have a chance at the reward of a lifetime. Four of the five fall victim to their greedy ambitions, but it is the humble Charlie Bucket who experiences the full extent of Wonka's grand gesture in the end.

Johnny Depp as the reclusive eccentric Willy Wonka.

Willy Wonka was fairly well received at the time (with the exception of that LSD-nightmare boat sequence!) and has been a fond memory for the now-adults who enjoyed it as kids. Gene Wilder played Wonka as mischievous, taken as heartless by the visitors who see him delighting in their near-fatal comeuppance, but with a twinkle in his eye that told the audience he was actually kind at heart and didn't mean any more harm than to teach the brats a lesson. That movie, though, was really about Charlie's dream of giving his family a decent life free from poverty coming true by knowing right from wrong.

Strike that -- reverse it: the updated 2005 version goes by the name the 1971 version should have, which should have gone by the name the 2005 version does. That is to say, while "Wonka" was about Charlie, "Charlie" is more about Wonka. And in this new version, Johnny Depp plays Wonka without that kind-hearted wink-and-a-smile. The usual suspects are here: the human chocolate vacuum Augustus Gloop (Philip Wiegratz) who gets sucked up a pipe; over-achiever Violet Beauregarde who swells after sampling a faulty piece of gum; spoiled rich kid Veruca Salt whose greed lands her in the garbage; and Mike Teavee whose know-it-all obsession with technology shrinks him down to size. And with each demise, Wonka's expression tells us he really wishes the worst on those rotten kids. He and Lemony Snicket's Count Olaf would be perfect partners in crime.

Be careful what you wish for.

This new version deletes the subplot of rival candymaker Slugworth and brings in the character of Wonka's father, played by Christopher Lee (recently of the Star Wars and Lord of the Rings trilogies). Wonka's father was a dentist, and practically drilled it into young Willy that candy is a horrible thing. The stern relationship was such that it drove Willy to run away and isolate himself so that human contact makes him cringe and he physically chokes on the word "parent." His past fifteen years of isolation and paranoia have left him so out of touch that when he first meets the factory visitors, he has to rely on preprinted cards to know how to speak to them.

Warner Bros., director Tim Burton, and screenwriter John August may prefer we not refer to this version as a remake, but those who've seen the original movie will recognize a number of shots and dialogue as verbatim. The candy room and Wonkavision sets are as they were in the first. The boat ride is thankfully toned down from 'mental breakdown' to 'unusual,' while the golden geese are replaced with a funny sequence involving nutcracking squirrels. The fun fizzy drink sequence is out, but we get to see Oompaland and how Wonka came to have the Oompa Loompas work with him. The Oompa Loompa songs are more varied and dressed up, from a Kiss-like heavy metal to the Byrds-esque "Veronica's New Found Friends," the highlight of the songs. Author Dahl provided the lyrics for the music, and composer and longtime Burton collaborator Danny Elfman provided some of the vocals.

While the musical pieces are clever, the computer graphics involving the Oompa Loompas is a letdown. Already short actor Deep Roy (whose work goes back to "Return of the Jedi") was visually shrunk to knee-height and is the single face of all the Loompas. In the synchronized performances, Roy acted out one Loompa, then reshoot from the second position and so on. Unfortunately this makes for a lot of lyrics not matching their lip movements. Other obvious blue/green-screen effects and animation like the blueberry-ballooning Violet just seem like those effects weren't a priority. The odd movements of Tim Burton's aliens in "Mars Attacks!" suited them, but don't look right here. CGI and copycat scenes aside, though, Tim Burton's trademark visual style is still evident, and the amazing shots of the town and factory exterior are some of the best scenes.

Oompa Loompas in action.

Burton's style also tends to involve an offbeat tone. Sometimes too offbeat -- the introduction of Wonka begins with his freakish Wonka theme song sung by mechanical dolls that burst into flames and melt. And Willy's run-away montage flashback turns out to be such a non-sequitor that I felt like it was a scene out of an episode of the tv sitcom "Family Guy." Funny, certainly, but odd enough and unrelated to the story enough that you think, in Wonka's words, "...well, that was just weird." Since the movie starts on Charlie, there is a little confusion as to whose story this is. Also interesting, but clunky, is the ending which arrives almost too casually and then drags on for too long.

Screenwriter John August (who worked with Burton on "Big Fish") makes up for the inconsistent pace though with the characters' dialogue. Wonka's out-of-left-field statements get great laughs throughout the movie. Charlie's grandparents are a hoot as they comment on the news of the other finders of the golden tickets. Freddie Highmore is excellent, (as he was as Peter in "Finding Neverland," also starring Depp) as Charlie, though unfortunately underused because the story is more Wonka's. If only Johnny Depp hadn't decided to go so far as use that voice. His pale face, perfect teeth, eccentric mannerisms, and bizarre comments all would have worked fine without the unexplainable childish voice he puts on. Depp is much funnier, much more nuanced throughout the bulk of the movie than he appears to be in the movie's trailers. Charlie's parents are played by Noah Taylor ("The Life Aquatic") and Helena Bonham Carter, who also starred in "Big Fish." Missi Pyle (yet another alum of "Big Fish") is the most entertaining of the rotten parents, the highly ambitious but all there Southern mother of Violet. Newcomer Julia Winter has Veruca's attitude down perfectly.

I don't think most audiences will see "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" as either Depp or Burton's best work, and the new version probably won't replace the old in the minds of adults. But this movie is entertaining in its own right for both the new generation of children and their parents. It's worth a look, if only to start a craving for that wonderful wonderful joy: chocolate. �Charlie and the Chocolate Factory� opens nationwide as well as on IMAX screens July 15.

Grade: B

Rated PG
1 hr 55 min.
US Theatrical release: July 15, 2005, wide/IMAX
Official Website
Buy the soundtrack at Amazon.com

...And Then What Happens?
-Tim Burton's stop-motion animated "Corpse Bride" rises in September;
-Helena Bonham Carter, Johnny Depp, Deep Roy, and Christopher Lee provide voices in "Corpse Bride"
-Noah Taylor appears in "The New World" in November;
-Depp will also return as Captain Jack Sparrow next summer;
-Freddie Highmore stars in the fantasy "Arthur and the Minimoys" Christmas '06;
-John August's next project is his "Father Knows Best"

Related Articles: "Finding Neverland" review (Molly) | "Finding Neverland" review (Scott) | "Big Fish" review

Max's 2005 Journal | 2005 Movie Planner

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