A criminal attempt to improve upon the legacy of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Rating: 2/10 (10 August 2005)

To be honest I was rather sceptical of the decision to remake such a classic film that has influenced the lives of so many. No-one could ever replace Gene Wilder's embodiment of Willy Wonka and sadly I feel that Johnny Depp failed to.
Depp's characterisation of Wonka seems to be a blend of a Jim Carrey style slapstick caricature mixed with Michael Jackson's 'the child that never grew up' sad underlying personality defects. If this was what the Director was aiming for, Carey would have been far better suited to the role.
The Oompa Loompa tunes and lyrics are an integral part of our culture  how dare they be tampered with! Frankly I think that, other than the technological improvements in terms of production, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory adds nothing the films legacy. An entire generation of youngsters will grow up without "living in happiness too, like the oompa loompa doopady doo." It is worth seeing simply to appreciate the fine work achieved in the original. If it ain't broke  don't fix it.