The Tim Burton Adaptation of a Childhood Classic...

Rating: 5/10 (11 April 2007)

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY is Tim Burton's dark adaptation of Roald Dahl's novel, which was turned into the cheery musical WILLIE WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY back in 1971, with Gene Wilder in the title role. The story is basically the same. Five children from around the world find golden tickets inside candy bars made by world famous candy maker Willie Wonka, which allow them a tour inside the never before open to the public factory, led by Wonka himself, in which the children learn some rather unsettling lessons about being a kid. It should be mentioned that this review comes from someone who never read the book but was a huge fan of the 1971 film. This film does have a solid fan base because the story is more closely connected to the book than the first film was, but that doesn't necessarily make it a better film. I had a lot of problems with this film, the primary one being Burton and Johnny Depp's interpretation of the character of Willie Wonka, which clearly had to be a collaborative effort. As dark as the book might have been, I have always felt that this was supposed to be a children's story and that Wonka should be an appealing character to children. Depp works very hard at producing a completely unique interpretation of the character but this Wonka comes off as hating children, which I found troubling. There is a mean-spiritedness to this Wonka that was absent in Gene Wilder's characterization. He's not a nice person and why the children would be so enamored of him here makes no sense. The children are nastier than they were in the original as well...Mike Teevee, in particular, is one of the nastiest children I have ever seen in a movie. I also found something rather unsettling about the fact that the Oompa Loompas were all played by a single actor (Deep Roy). On the plus side, I thought Freddie Highmore was absolutely wonderful in the pivotal role of Charlie, the only good little boy in the bunch. Highmore makes Charlie the only really likable character in the movie and the only actor from this version I preferred from the 71 version. Another thing I liked in this version is that we get to see the other four children leaving the factory after the tour, which we didn't in the '71 film. In the first film, you get the feeling that they might be dead...a lesson from Wonka which is also troubling. Mention should also be made of an impressive turn by the great Christopher Lee, playing Wonka's father...a character we never met in the '71 film but whose presence here does provide some insight into this Wonka's personality. The songs are dark and dreary but the film does boast impressive art and set direction. A mixed bag to be sure, but you'll probably like it better if you never saw the '71 film.