Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - 2005 Review

Tim Burton's updated version of Roald Dahl is a colorful well paced film with a tour de force performance by Johnny Depp as the odd-ball candy man, Willy Wonka.

Charlie Bucket (played by Freddie Highmore who was in Finding Neverland with Depp as well) and his family are so poor they live in crooked house with a huge hole in the roof that lets snow fall inside.  Parents (Noah Taylor and Helena Bonham Carter) and four bed ridden grandparents (Granpa Joe is played by David Kelly) barely avoid starvation by eating cabbage soup and tell stories that include once upon a time working for the hermit like chocolate maker, Willy Wonka.

Wonka became very paranoid about getting his special candy recipes and inventions stolen by workers, that he nearly automated his factory.  

Wonka announces that five lucky children will be allowed into his factory.  There are five golden tickets hidden in his chocolate bars.  Find one and take a tour of the factory.

Most of the kids who win, are spoiled, over-weight, or incapable of behaving themselves.  The tour of he factory allows Burton to expand the ideas of the original movie and the book in imaginative colorful ways-- that I will not spoil here.

Depp plays Wonka as a overly sensitive child caught in a man's body (kind of like Michael Jackson you could say).   He has flashbacks to a troubling childhood, his father was a dentist (cameo by Christopher Lee).

I won't spoil the film for you, except to tell you, it's unique and odd enough that it sets itself apart from most family films.  It's very well paced so children 5 and up will not be bored.  There's lots to be entertained with.  Bad kids are punished,  Depp portrays a strange slightly creepy guy. Lots of good messages are shared regarding being too selfish, too greedy, not listening to your parents etc. etc.

I still find  Gene Wilder's portrayal of  Willy Wonka and the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory a slightly better film.  The 'original' takes a little longer to get going and there are some truly nightmarish, scary images for about 30 seconds.  The humor is a litle darker, but most kids will actually appreciate that.     Treat yourself to the 1971 film as well.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory  2005  Directed by  Tim Burton