Stands on its own merit, still prefer the original

Rating: 7/10 (20 May 2006)

I'll admit upfront that I grew up with and love the original Willie Wonka. I was prepared to dismiss this film, except for two things: Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. That combination has always resulted in interesting, if not great films. I was pleasantly surprised to find the new film entertaining, though no more faithful to the source material than the original.
Depp is fun as the off-kilter Wonka, playing him as a wonderful eccentric, much like Ed Wood. I could have done without the ridiculous unresolved father issue (shades of Spielberg!), but it was nice to see Christopher Lee. Freddie Highmore is good as Charlie, capturing the right note of honesty and wonder. The rest of the kids are fine, but don't quite compare to the original cast. Julie Dawn Cole is still the ultimate Veruca Salt. Francesca Hunt was waisted as Mrs. Salt. Her background facial expressions were wonderful, but she should have had lines. James Fox was fine, but I miss Roy Kinnear. David Kelly was fantastic. He has been a favorite of mine since I saw him in Fawlty Towers.
The convention that Deep Roy is the sole Oompa-Loompa works well and he is a great performer. However, the musical pieces just don't have the same flair as the original. Oh, they're entertaining, but they lack that magical sparkle.
Visually, the film is a treat and the advances in effects works allow it to look better than the original, but I still felt the candy room in the original was more awe-inspiring. Here, it looked too artificial. The design was good, but it seemed a bit lifeless.
On the whole, the film is very entertaining, with some nice moments. The younger generation will probably have a greater love for it than people of my generation, but there is much to love for us old fogies. It lacks the charm of the original, and the sense that the unexpected could happen at any moment. Still, it looks great and keeps your attention. The performances range from adequate to great, with no real bad turns. The inclusion of Charlie's father is nice, and the squirrels are welcome. If only Burton could have spent less time focusing on the bizarre and more on the charm of the story, it would have been so much better. Roald dahl is still a tricky author to capture on screen. Kids will love the film and adults will find much to please them, as well.