Bearable...

Rating: 5/10 (1 August 2005)

When I went to the cinema, I was really looking forward to this movie - having acted in a school production as Charlie meant it held good memories for me. I was really disappointed. It is nothing like the book - yes, I know, not all movies based on books are the same, and are often very good anyway, but I feel the film would have been better if it had stuck more closely to the original source material. For me, there were several problems with it:
1) Casting - all the children are cast well, especially Freddie Highmore who gives a good performance as Charlie. I also quite enjoyed Philip Weigratz's performance as Augustus Gloop - I was suitably revolted. However, I feel that Johnny Depp's performance as Willy Wonka was disappointing. Depp is a superb actor, but it didn't come through in this feature. I didn't enjoy him (Wonka) like I do in the book. In the movie, he came across as a social misfit with serious issues in need of psychiatric help. Everyone apart from the kids gave completely mediocre performances.
2) The scenes with the Oompa-Loompa songs and dances were far too choreographed and, well, fake. The music was too modern for people who don't seem to 'get out', and watching each scene just reminded me of Bollywood dance scenes, e.g. the kind that can be found in 'Bride and Prejudice' (which I know is not Bollywood, but contains many of its elements).
3) Part of the concept - from other comments, I assume the movie allegedly took place in England, yet everything is so 'americanised' - accents, the giving of the dollar, etc. These ruined it for me.
However, it had to have a saving grace, and that is the factory itself - wonderful - this pushed up the rating I would have originally given because it's exactly like a child's fantasy. Overall, bearable.