a balance of caricatured characters and visual wonder

Rating: 6/10 (24 July 2005)

Tim Burton is a director who has always been at a disadvantage when applying his unique visual style to the half-baked screenplays he is all too often saddled with--no amount of 'flair' or signature weirdness can cover up flaws in character and story ("Edward Scissorhands" and "Beetlejuice" in particular), but with "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (a return to the grind of Roald Dahl's book, first filmed in 1971) he meets his match. While not as downbeat or malicious as the earlier film, Burton's handling of the characters and situations melds well with his directorial flourishes--with an eccentric Willy Wonka (the playfully androgynous Johnny Depp) and an overwhelming wonderland contained within his factory, the exaggerated, bratty children (plus the humble and compassionate Charlie) and their parents are the pitch-perfect accompaniment to all the visual caffeine. The cast is in fine form, with Grandpa Bucket (David Kelly) and Wonka's father (Christopher Lee) to provide some chuckles for adults, while children will be hypnotized by the fantastic yet menacing factory; like most of Burton's work, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" too often threatens visual overload, but at least all the elements blend together finely, like a chocolate waterfall.