A movie that didn't need to be remade

Rating: 6/10 (21 April 2008)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is an okay film, but does re-create the magic of the original and the dark tones does not fit for this type of children's film.
I admit I not the biggest fan of Tim Burton, but he has made some good films such as he Batman films, Edward Scissorhand and Sweeney Todd. However, his remake of the Planet of the Apes was not particularly good, just making into a plain action film and has an ending that makes no sense.
This version makes the world seem a more surreal place, the character are more over the top and Charlie lives in a small shack with his whole family, even sleeping in the same bed. The factory is more darker in lighting and Willy Wonka is made out to be a more unlikely character who does not like children. The Oompa-Loompas in this version also don't seem to fit as well as in the original version. The world outside should have been more down to earth but the factory a more wacky and fun, not dark and moody.
The acting was good, Helena Botham Carter, an actress I like was the mum, Christopher Lee was Willy Wonka's father and the child actors were good. An example was AnnaSophia Robb who played Violet Beauregarde has become pretty successful, staring in Bridge to Terabithia and Jumper. Johnny Depp is a very good actor who normally gives it his all. He has a strong working relationship with Burton. It was believed that Johnny Depp based his performance on Michael Jackson and really hams it up, like Jack Nicholson did in Batman and Glenn Close in 102 Dalmatians.
I also felt the music in the film was trying to be too contemporary, with the Oompa-Loompas rapping and making the film seem trying too hard be to 'down with the kids'.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory left a strong legacy and is a good children's film. It has been parodied in shows like the Simpsons, Family Guy and Futurama. I do not picture that happening with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Also when people think of Oompa-Loompas they are more likely to think of original version, not the Burton version.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is not a bad film and I sure it did entertain a lot of people, but it is not a classic and the original was better.