I hated it.

Rating: 1/10 (16 July 2005)

To begin with, I realize that this version is closer to the novel, I also realize that the filmwork and casting was overall pretty good, but I still hated it, and here's why: This is not a happy movie, this is not "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory", and Johnny Depp is not Gene Wilder, and you realize these points from the beginning. One thing that really, really bothered me about this picture were the oompa loompas. Now I understand that Burton made it a point to avoid the staple, cookie cutter oompa loopma design, but these newer ones lack whimsy, and resemble shrunken ethnic men. None of the original music is here, which goes without saying because the obvious point of the movie is to prove that Burton can remake a movie without resorting to the old stuff from the original. However, the newer stuff looks like crap in contrast to the stuff that we were introduced to thirty years ago. I found this movie extremely depressing overall, and everything that I really liked in the original is really different in this version.
On the other hand, I have thought for years that Johnny Depp hasn't made a good movie since "Edward Scissorhands", and although I really disliked this flick, his performance was pretty good. The likability factor for this movie really depends solely on your loyalty and love for the original.