A cinematic treat...

Rating: 10/10 (27 July 2005)

Tim Burton is back in town with 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory', a delightful new adaptation of the classic Road Dahl book. It's got everything you'd expect from a Tim Burton movie: Danny Elfman score, bizarre humor, wonderful production design, and another weird performance from Burton favorite Johnny Depp. Depp is Willy Wonka in one of the most original performances of the year.
Everyone knows the plot: Little Charlie Bucket (Freddie Highmore) is one of five kids who get to visit Willy Wonka's amazing chocolate factory. Charlie is a good boy, but the other four children are selfish and greedy. At the end of the day, four children have been punished, and Charlie is rewarded.
Johnny Depp is one of the best actors working today, and his strange performance as Willy Wonka proves it. His Wonka is germophobic, utters 60's catchphrases, and doesn't like parents. Truth be told, it's a better performance than Gene Wilder. The added subplot about Wonka's childhood and his stern dentist father (Christopher Lee) adds some interest, and it doesn't slow things down. Freddie Highmore, who was last seen with Depp in 'Finding Neverland', is great as Charlie, and I can't think of anyone else in the role. Special mention must also go to David Kelly, who infuses Charlie's Grandpa Joe with charm and enthusiasm.
The production is a beautiful one, and it showcases Burton's affinity for the bizarre. The special effects are impressive, too, and they're not bogged down with too much CGI. Danny Elfman's score is his best in years, and I found myself more than once humming along to the theme.
It is said that Roald Dahl hated the original 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory'. However, were he alive today, I think he would have liked this wonderful adaptation. It got the seal of approval from his family, after all. 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' is a terrific film.