Searching for my Happily Ever After.

I thought I might have a go at reviewing the new Tim Burton film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Since this film has an earlier counterpart (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, 1971), this 'review' will obviously be comparing the two at some points. I wrote some ofthis in quiet points at work last Saturday and Sunday, so expect some of the writing to not gel properly sometimes.

The start of Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was reminiscent of his earlier film Edward Scissorhands, in my opinion.It was obviously a reproduction of its 1971 counterpart, with a sequence showing the making of chocolates. I rather appreciated the beginning, and had a grin with my brother when the words "Music by Danny Elfman" flashed up on the screen since Tim Burton usually has Mr. Elfman do the music for his films.

This whole film was, in the words of the tagline of the 1971 version, "Scrumdiddlyumptious!". The sets were perfectly candified, and the music by Danny Elfman, was fantastic.

I loved the characters, the songs, and the overall interpretation of Roald Dahl's book. Having said this, there was just something missing. Something that made the '71 version, however technologically inferior, by far better and more enjoyable than the new film. It coaxed more than a few laughs from me whereas Burton's film only made me giggle and smile a bit.

Johnny Depp's character Willy Wonka (as well as being thoroughly gorgeous) was suitably eccentric, and a lovely take on the character. He struck me as slightly scared and nervous, very strange, slightly unsure of himself, and very enthusiastic. He seems like he'd been isolated for a long while, with his outdated slang and need to write things on cue cards, which is, I suppose, exactly what the character has been. Actually, for some reason, there were points in the film where he reminded me somewhat of Edward Scissorhands.. maybe it was just the fact that Johnny Depp played that character as well, or maybe I picked up on some intentional references.

The children were well played, especially Charlie.
No.. wait.. I reconsider! The only well-played children were Charlie and Augustus Gloop! Veruca Salt was not repulsively bratty as she should have been, she was just mildly annoying and somebody who kept asking for things, unlike the Veruca Salt I loved to hate in the original film. She was not just bratty, she commanded a sort of attitude which made you absolutely loathe her. Now that was good acting (unless she really was a brat in real life). Violet was excruciatingly irritating, which I suppose she was supposed to be, but nowhere near as good as 1971's Violet. And Mike Teevee reminded me too much of my best friend's brother (I really don't know why) and so I couldn't really get into his character properly, which is not the actor's fault, I suppose, but still brings it down a bit for me.
Charlie was well acted by Freddie Highmore and I have to say that I liked Augustus Gloop in this version way more than the 1971 version.

The Oompa Loompas, played by one actor Gordeep Roy, weren't a patch on the old version's Oompa Loompas, and the scale kept changing. One minute the Oompa Loompas look to be as tall as your shin, and the next they seemed waist-height. And the costumes they were in? They were pretty darn bad. I much prefer the old Oompa Loompas, and their scale was all right as well, since 'dwarves' played them. And they all looked different and not freaky-looking like Deep Roy did. A good thing to be said about Burton's Oompa Loompas, though; they were indeed very creepy, which is what I got from reading Roald Dahl's book, whereas the old version's Oompa Loompas simply weren't scary. More... whimsical.. I suppose.

I adored the flashbacks in the film, I felt that they provided a break in the story and made it infinitely more interesting to watch. I particularly liked the trip to Loompaland, which was thoroughly entertaining.

The scripting was funny, my favourite quotes being:

"Everything in this room is eatable. In fact even I'm eatable, but that, my dear children, is caled cannabalism which is in fact frowned on in most societies." - Willy Wonka

"Who wants a beard?"
"Well, beatniks for one, folk singers and motorbike riders. Y'know. All those hip, jazzy, super cool, neat, keen, and groovy cats. It's in the fridge, daddy-o! Are you hep to the jive? Can you dig what I'm layin' down? I knew that you could. Slide me some skin, soul brother!" - Mike Teevee and Willy Wonka

Overall I adored this film and greatly appreciate the effort Tim Burton and co. put in to make this a faithful film version of Dahl's book (although I still prefer Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory)

8 1/2 out of 10