Failed, to my disappointment

Rating: 5/10 (29 June 2006)

After reading a glowing review in Entertainment Weekly for this movie I eagerly rented it and settled in for a cozy movie night. What I got was a head-scratching film that left me with a distinctly sour taste in my mouth. The original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is one of my personal favorites. I was well aware that this would be a far cry from that version. This version is decidedly more faithful to the book but I feel it reflects more of Tim Burton's need to be kooky than it does of capturing the sugary irresistibility of the book. The movie, simply put, is not simple enough. Granted, the book is often maniacal and bizarre but too much emphasis is placed here on the look. The actors seem, to me, to be wandering aimlessly among the sets, seeing them but not feeling them. The children fail to provide a new and interesting interpretation on the characters, instead becoming blah clones of the feisty five-some in the original. In fact, you would think their parents dragged them to the set every morning against their will. Their "parents" fare no better. How anyone could possibly laud these performances compared to the 1971 original is beyond me. Depp's Wonka is passable but far too creepy to be endearing. He has his moments though. The music is, sadly, another weakness of the movie. It is simply too jarring and techno-modern for this version, even if it is a contemporary remake. There are a few bright spots here and there. The visuals are gorgeous and I was delighted to see the more accurate portrayal of the boat (a viking ship instead of a strange floating surrey thing). Deep Roy (how can I get a name like that?) does an admirable job as all the Oompa-Loompas. Not one of them looks exactly alike. I wasn't too fond of the character design though. Overall, not the best of Burton. See this one for a quick trip but see the original to be truly transported.