Just Like Roald Dahl Intended...Right?

Rating: 6/10 (13 June 2013)

This is the story of Charlie Bucket, who lived with his family in a small wooden house on the edge of town. His family consisted of his parents Mr. and Mrs. Bucket, and his grandparents Grandpa Joe, Grandma Josephine, Grandpa George and Grandma Georgina. The family was very poor; Located in the middle of this dull town: the largest, most popular chocolate factory in the world: Wonka's Chocolate Factory. A wonder to behold. Just ask Grandpa Joe, who used to work for Willy Wonka himself! The factory had been closed for years. Nobody went in or out. So, who or perhaps what was helping Willy Wonka in his factory? Grandpa Joe wished he could see inside that factory again.
He and Charlie were about to get their wishes for the very next day, Wonka announced a contest: five golden tickets placed under the wrappers of five ordinary Wonka candy bars. The five lucky people to find them get a tour of Wonka's extraordinary chocolate factory! Well, before long, candy stores all over the world were flooded and Wonka bars were hoarded. The first golden ticket was found in Germany by an overweight, compulsive eater named Augustus Gloop; the second by an English spoiled brat Veruca Salt, the third ticket by a snotty, gum-chewer named Violet Beaureguarde, and the fourth by a television-obsessed monster, Mike Teavee. All seemed lost for poor Charlie, until he found some money buried in the snow and bought a Wonka's Scrumptious Fudge-Mallow Delight. He tore off the wrapper and there was a golden ticket! He raced it home to the family, who were overjoyed. And because Charlie could bring one family member, Grandpa Joe literally jumped at the opportunity.
A huge crowd gathered at the gates of Wonka's factory. The five winners and their parents were invited inside where Wonka put on a little show for them, ala It's A Small World. Willy Wonka was an eccentric, little on the loony side, but a genius nonetheless. He then greeted everybody, not really caring what their names were, but found difficulty in greeting the parents, because Mr. Wonka had a deep, dark affliction with parents dating back to his father, who was a dentist and forbid Willy from eating candy. Unnecessary back-story ahoy! Their first stop on the tour was the nerve center of the factory: the Chocolate Room. Everything was eatable. Augustus was quite fond of the chocolate river, and he took a header right in. It was then that Mr. Wonka's mysterious helpers were revealed: Oompa Loompas, direct from Loompaland. They sang about Augustus' predicament as a giant pipe sucked him from the river. They next board a giant, pink boat and rowed down the chocolate river, through a dark tunnel and finally arrive at their destination: the Inventing Room where many of Wonka's new creative confections were in the works, such as Everlasting Gobstoppers. A particular invention that tickled Violet's fancy was a machine that made a three course meal into a stick of gum. She chewed it and at first it seemed fine, until she got to dessert: blue berry pie. Suddenly Violet turned violet and began bloating out like an enormous hot air balloon. The Oompa Loompas rolled her away to get the juice squeezed out of her; They next come to the Nut Room where some trained squirrels were testing nuts. The bad ones were thrown down a large chute in the center of the room. Veruca had to have one of those squirrels. She went in to get one, but the squirrels deemed her a bad nut and chucked her down the garbage chute. Mr. Salt as well; They next board The Great Glass Elevator takes the remainders to a fascinating room containing Mr. Wonka's other latest work of art: Television Chocolate. It could teleport a large bar of chocolate to through the air waves and broadcast it onto a television set, only this candy wasn't a picture. Mike wanted to try this new invention and the end result really shrank his ego, as well as his entire body! With only Charlie left, Mr. Wonka claims him the winner. A fabulous prize would be in store for him. The three board the Great Glass Elevator again and go...Up and out! They fly over the town and crash right through the roof of Charlie's house, giving the grandparents a rude awakening. They all greet Mr. Wonka, who reveals what the grand prize is: he would turn his factory over to Charlie. The only catch was he had to leave his family. Charlie couldn't do it, so a distraught Wonka left. But, over the course of time Charlie and Wonka met up again, and Charlie was able to get him to make amends with his long lost father. After that, Mr. Wonka wasn't so edgy about the idea of families and offered the prize to Charlie again, this time allowing his whole family to take part in it. Wonka and Charlie became partners, thinking up all kinds of new confectionery wonders and scrumptious delights.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I found it to be a good film... up until Wonka shows up. I feel Johnny Depp was miscast in this movie solely because Tim Burton directed it. Literally hundreds of Hollywood's finest were interested in the role of Wonka, and Burton gave it to his friend Depp who played him like a, well, an eccentric, but also a very out-of-touch, loony...I don't know what the hell Depp was going for here. I would actually recommend the 1971 Gene Wilder version, it was just done so much better. If you like darker visuals and maybe something closer to the visual style, give Burton's a try otherwise. My feelings about this movie have changed from 2005 when I first wrote this analysis. Don't hate it, but am not a huge fan either.