A sweet delight for young and old

Rating: 10/10 (7 December 2005)

OK, I liked the 71 spin on Dahl's cautionary, confectionery tale, but compared to this cinematic feast for the eyes and ears, the Wilder vehicle pales in comparison. Wilder's Mr. Rogers-like manner and the nursery rhyme-like Oompa-Loompa chants about guzzling sweets the way an elephant eats, that film is more for the single digit age groups, in my opinion, while this sweet dark fantasy helmed by Tim Burton is for the kid in everyone, and the brilliant visuals and infectious music will bring out the tousle-haired, freckle-nosed, chocolate-smeared Tommy, Dickie, or Carlito residing in the heart of every Tom, Dick, and Carlos.
I liked Johnny Depp's sadistic, sarcastic, child-loathing portrayal of Roald Dahl's literary bombonero ("candymaker" in Spanish) far better than Wilder's interpretation of the character as a confectionery Captain Kangaroo, and the whole part about Wonka's boyhood and his unpaternal dentist father was a nice touch.
And don't get me started on the MUSIC. Brilliant compositions by the extremely talented Mister Daniel Elfman, and the Oompa-Loompa songs, sung by the man himself, harkened back to my 80s teenhood with their sound reminiscent of Elfman's new-wave band Oingo Boingo.
Definitely a must-see for young, old, and everyone in between.