The only thing missing is that wonderful smell of chocolate!

Rating: 8/10 (19 July 2005)

Tim Burton has made Roald Dahl's story truly come to life. The only thing missing is that wonderful smell of chocolate. I advise taking a Wonka bar into the movie, because when you see the chocolate water fall your mouth will water. Johnny Depp does a superb job of portraying the weird and bizarre Willie Wonka who just appears as the puppets catch fire and begin to melt. He is clapping and cheering as if he had been standing there all the time. At first the children and parents are not sure who he is but slowly realize as he begins to instruct them how to enter the factory. The Bucket's ram-shackled leaning house is definitely a Tim Burton creation, and the first view we have is a classic 'mise-en-scene'. The actors portraying Augustus, Veruca, Violet, and Mike fit the parts to a tee. Freddy Highmore does another superb job as Charlie, just as he did in Finding Neverland as Peter. The digitalized Oompa-Loompas singing the catchy verses with the 'Pop Choreography' dance moves of the 'swim', the 'mashed potatoes' and the 'jerk' were nostalgic as well as entertaining. I enjoyed this version just as much as the Gene Wilder version in the 70's. I was fascinated with the squirrels cracking the nuts and throwing the bad ones away. Although it is one of the scenes that borders on the scary side, when they hold and push Veruca done the garbage tube. The glass elevator is high tech, and I loved Depp running into it every time he went to get in. It was great fun! And don't forget your Wonka bar!