A dark remake more for the reminiscent adults

Rating: 8/10 (8 August 2005)

Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory is now considered something of a classic in film for Children. Everyone seems to remember seeing the original and it was with these memories that I went to see the Tim Burton recreation Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. If Burton is known for anything it's dark, sometimes twisted comedy and The Chocolate Factory seems like a no brainer story for him. I have never read the novels by Dahl but I understand Burton's version is much more true to the book.
Charlie and The Chocolate Factory is the story of a young boy and his impoverished family barely surviving. They live in a small European type village where the claim to fame is the infamous Willy Wonka's Chocolate factory where Charlie's Grandfather used to work until a mole that was stealing Wonka's secrets caused Wonka to shut everything down and close up the factory. It was years before suddenly Wonka started making his wonderful candies and chocolate again but without the help of anyone it seemed. Out of the blue Wonka makes a worldwide announcement that he is placing only five Golden Tickets in his Wonka bars for five lucky boys or girls and that will give them the privilege of being shown around the infamous Chocolate factory by Wonka himself. Not only that but one of those lucky five will get a great prize. Charlie is thrilled about the idea of getting one of those tickets but rather discouraged knowing that he only gets one Wonka bar a year on his birthday and therefore only once chance at the ticket. He opens his birthday bar with his family anxiously looking on but gets nothing. They all watch as rich, stuck up, snobby greedy kids win the tickets one by one. Charlie's Grandfather surprises Charlie with a dollar to buy another Wonka bar and Charlie does, but again he gets nothing. All hope seems lost as there is only one golden ticket left. After a false ticket surfaces Charlie comes across a ten dollar bill in the street and immediately buys one more candy bar. He slowly unwraps it and sure enough Charlie has found the last Golden ticket. Inviting his Grandfather to join him, he enter the factory with four other children and their parents. Wonka is odd, weird, eccentric but introduces them to a mysterious, beautiful and odd world of chocolate and candy and a mysterious race of beings called Oompa Loompas. As they tour the factory Wonka looks back on his childhood and we see a little of what made him become what he is. As the tour continues each child is subjected to their moral weakness so to speak and it causes them to meet their dramatic exit from the factory (none are hurt only extradited), until only Charlie is left. From process of elimination Charlie will be offered the greatest gift ever but by turning it down he will not only change his own life but the life of Willy Wonka as well.
First off Johnny Depp is brilliant...bring on the little Golden statue cause so far he is the deserving one. I really wasn't sure when I saw the commercials, it seems like a rather TOO odd performance but instead he is brilliant, and funny, and completely off the wall in a very real way. Gene Wilder may always be Willy Wonka but Johnny Depp creates a whole new look to the part. Freddie Highmore who was completely brilliant opposite Depp in Finding Neverland continues his rise to stardom playing a very emotional and touching role as Charlie. David Kelly as Charlie's Grandpa also does a very good job, everyone adds their personality to the film. Burton creates a beautiful, and cartoony but still dark world inside the factory. Julia Winter (Veruca Salt-The Spoiled rich kid), Jordan Fry (Mike Teavee the spoiled violent genius), Philip Wiegratz (Augustus Gloop-The Greedy over eater), Annasophia Robb, (the horrible little over achiever Violet Beauregarde)all do an amazing job in their respective roles and we love seeing them meet their rather disturbing ends, although the film always make it explicitly clear that the children are not being harmed. The film is an awesome adventure. However I can't quite explain the "G" Rating because I wouldn't want my young kids seeing this film?? The original was a little dark but musical and more light hearted. Burton doesn't put a lot of light heart into this one with the exception of Charlie and his morality and family values. Wonka himself is off the wall weird and dark and there are numerous expressions that might be over the head of little ones but adult aimed nonetheless. Danny Elfman's familiar dark music adds to the atmosphere. It certainly makes the film all the more entertaining for adults and I am sure any fan of the original will be delighted to see a more mature update. This is definitely worth seeing!! 8/10