Bring your kids , but leave your doubts at home.

Rating: 8/10 (19 July 2005)

If you've read the book, this film is a very honorable adaptation. Johnny Depp is simply awesome at portraying the eccentric yet lovable Willy Wonka. However, Freddie Highmore (Charlie) carries the film. His performance and delivery give this movie a stability that otherwise would have not been achieved by any other actor. His ability to make the audience relate and sympathize with his standard of living is worthy of applause. Coupled with this is a maturity that is astonishing and leaves the audience to wonder: If faced with the same decision, what choice would you make? This film is definitely family friendly for that message.
Another delight that this film delivers is a very satisfying back story to who Wonka is, and how he came to be. This is something that the previous adaptation had not explored. Given that, I would like to end by saying that comparing this film to the original is as unfair as comparing Batman(1989) to Batman the Movie (1966). Both are memorable.