A Mediocre Film at Best

Rating: 5/10 (16 July 2005)

While mildly amusing, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a mediocre film at best. As a someone who enjoyed the 1971 version of the this beloved children's book, I was very much looking forward to Burton's take on it, and I thought Depp was an inspired choice to play Wonka. Though it has the signature 'Burton look' and quirkiness, Chocolate Factory is perhaps Burton's worst major motion picture, and Depp's portrayal of the famed 'chocolateer' is entertaining, but far from compelling. The 1971 version presents us with a protagonist living in realistic poverty (with the exception of all four grandparents sharing a bed--that seems a bit of a reach) and we can empathize and sympathize with him. Burton's protagonist, while an excellent choice for 'Charlie,' is barred from the same level of sympathy due to the cartoonish portrayal of his poverty--it's simply too ridiculous. Gene Wilder portrays an eccentric genius who hid in his factory because he understood the ways of the world and chose to reject those ways--in other words, he has wisdom and depth. Depp's 'Wonka,' while eccentric, is an obsessive and psychological conflicted genius who seems to have hid himself away because he's a social misfit--no enlightenment, no wisdom, just an inability to cope with the outside world. In short, I was disappointed with Depp's performance. This isn't to say there aren't good points to the film--it looks spectacular, Burton found a great young actor to play Charlie, and there's a bit more character development all around. However, the movie falls short of it's potential. It's worth the time it takes to watch it, but not the nine-plus dollars they're charging at the theaters--wait for the DVD.