So disappointing

Rating: 4/10 (28 January 2006)

I love Tim Burton, and I love Johnny Depp...but this version of Roald Dahl's classic book left me disappointed and frustrated. Where was the originality? Almost everything - the set and costume design especially - was like a 2005 Burton-ised version of the early Gene Wilder movie. The chocolate waterfall room is described in the book as a beautiful valley lined with graceful trees, rhododendrons and meadows filled with thousands of buttercups. Once again, however, the movie version delivers a flouro coloured set complete with lollipop trees, etc.. Although a spectacular design in itself, I'm sure this is not what Roald Dahl would have wished for.
As for the Ooompa-Loompa: why, Tim, why! Once again we have Ooomp-Loompas (all the same guy) wearing flouro coloured, shiny jump-suits following robotic dance steps. Why couldn't we see what Dahl intended - families of Ooomp-Loompa hunters wearing animals skins, carrying spears and singing along to beating drums? There was a great chance here to create something really special and true to the original book. Innocent, joyful - but of course with that deliciously nasty Dahl streak. Instead, we have a horribly Hollywood-ised, over designed copy of another movie (which Dahl didn't like in the first place). Why did Wonka have to become the main character (with an unnecessary inserted back-story), once again? Charlie was hardly in the film at all. And why was Willy Wonka American? If you know Dahl's books, you'll know that he would have been appalled by the thought of an American Wonka. Dahl was English, through and through, and so are most of his main characters.
The squirrels were the highlight of the film. All credit where it's due there.
I'm sure kids will enjoy this film. But I'm just a 'big kid' myself after all, and I grew up loving Dahl's books. I was sorely disappointed with this film. Ow! I so wanted it to be good!