Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Starring: Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, Helena Bonham-Carter, David Kelly, Noah Taylor
Directed by: Tim Burton
2005 Warner Bros. Pictures Children
Wonka hasn't socialized with humankind in the fifteen years since he closed his London chocolate factory. Now he has opened the place to five children, each allowed to bring one relative. "Good morning, starshine, the earth says hello," he tells the invitees, who are freaked by Wonka's retro hair and overbright voice. And how about that army of Oompa-Loompas, all played by Deep Roy, in musical numbers that appear to have been choreographed by Busby Berkeley on crack. The kids are selfish brats, except for Charlie Bucket, played with open-faced honesty by Freddie Highmore, Depp's Peter Pan surrogate in Finding Neverland.
Gene Wilder put a blunt comic edge on Wonka in the underrated 1971 musical version. But Depp goes deeper to find the bruises on Wonka's secret heart. Hint: Wonka's dad (the fab Christopher Lee) was a dentist. Depp and Burton fly too high on the vapors of pure imagination. But it's hard to not get hooked on something this tasty.
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Review 1 of 3
ZerosLove24 writes:
This is by far one of Johnny Depps best films. They way he potrays Willy Wonka is AMAZING! A lot of people say that the Willy Wonka character in this movie was a little more on the "gay" side, than the original, but that's not a bad thing. Johnny Depp is my favorite actor, he's incredibly versitle. There's nothing he can't do! Plus he looks hot in make-up.
Aug 24, 2006 04:25:14
Review 2 of 3
garfieldlea writes:
This has to be one of my favorite with Johnny Depp. he is so different with willy wonka than his other roles. It's just awesome
Love You Johnny
Jun 30, 2006 11:35:56
Review 3 of 3
88keys writes:
A wonderful, visually lucious and comically dark adaptation (no surprise here, it's Burton). Wilder's eccentric interpretation of Wonka left me feeling that despite his weird moments the guy really had a kind heart. Alternatively, Depp pushes further into Wonka's psyche and leaves us wondering if we should really entrust Charlie to this boy who didn't grow up (YEESH! the Michael Jackson parallels are spooky). Thankfully, Charlie puts our fears to rest by dissing Wonka and forcing him to seemingly come to grips with his p..., ok, family relationships in order to secure Charlie as heir to his factory. Burton delves wonderfully into the backstory on the Oompa Loompa's and Wonka's past. Christopher Lee does a stunning turn as Wonka's Father, DDS. I will always floss now, thanks. The kids are appropriately bratty, save Charlie of course. The parents are appropriately spineless. Wonka's flippant sidebar moral(?) commentary flew over the heads of my kids, thankfully, who were more interested in his highly trained squirrels. A worthy new take that will always require a mood check to choose which version I want to watch on DVD: the bleary/teary or the eerie.
Dec 5, 2005 14:50:40
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