Dark & Semi-Sweet (but Never Gooey)

Rating: 7/10 (15 July 2005)

Tim Burton and Johnny Depp indulge their inner child once more with this bag of mixed nuts. While some moments work brilliantly (Burton's fantastic visual sense is perfectly suited to the material) other moments are are a bit of a let-down. It's not really possible to discuss this film without mentioning the Roald Dahl book and the first film, so I won't even try. Depp mystified me with his freakish Jack Sparrow in THE PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN - camp for camp's sake. Here camp is in full session again but Burton has the smarts to temper Depp's tart eccentricity with flashbacks to Wonka's troubled youth. While these don't really add much story-wise, they do help us understand Depp's choices. In the end, however, it isn't nearly enough to make Wonka a real character, especially when played against the ultra-reality of Highmore's introspective Charlie Bucket. While Burton's visual flair is at it's most impressive, he misses some of the small details: Charlie's eventual discovery of the golden ticket, for instance, is rushed through as if to say "You know what happens here". Harsh contrast to the first film which featured the torturous slow unwrapping of the bar, the pained look of anticipation on Charlie's angelic face, that wonderful glint of light off the first glimmer of gold, and the triumphant swell of orchestral brass braying "I've got a golden ticket" as Bucket ran joyously home. Burton also miss-steps with the film's ending, which goes on far too long. Because we've seen Wonka in therapy (literally), Burton feels obliged to give us the treacly slow awakening of mental health and acceptance of self starting with a visit to Willy's father, Dr. Wonka DDS (Christopher Plummer). While I admire the clever contrast of dentist dad and confectioner kid (not found in Dahl or WILLY #1), I couldn't help longing for the concise culmination of the first film: Charlie passes test - Charlie wins factory - fade out. But all in all, riding the Wonkavator or the Wonkatania with Captain Burton is a visual feast not to be missed.