Very faithful to the book.

Rating: 9/10 (18 July 2005)

I was always disappointed at the original Gene Wilder version of this movie - too childlike and junky, sugary sweet. Even as a seven year old I used to get really angry that this was NOT how I had interpreted the book - the imagery was so out of synch with my imagination. The book that Roald Dahl wrote was both amusing but had a sinister dark side that was never shown fully in that '70s movie. This new version is how I saw it - even all those years ago - slightly dark, sinister with that tongue-in-cheek humour that really describes Dahl.
The script 95% mirrors the book text word-for-word in parts and all scenes and chocolate bars have the correct name and look oh-so-close to the illustrations that are depicted in the first edition of the book, right down the the Art-Deco looking chocolate factory.
I loved it and could not get enough. Depp is hilarious as the semi-twisted Wonka. The Oompah-Loompah songs are a great modern take and use the correct lyrics again sourced from the book. Burton really took the time to get into this authors psyche and capture using images the essence of the text. Very cool. Oh yeah, read the book if you're 8-80.