Movie Review: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (4 of 5)

I was a little apprehensive about this movie, afraid that Tim and Johnny would ruin a classic book and movie. But they didn't. While not perfect, they've created a very exciting, enjoyable, and entertaining film.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is rather dichotomous in its approach to the book. On the one hand, it follows it much more closely than the original, including or correcting several scenes in wonderful interpretations, and adding nothing stupid. On the other hand, it makes great changes to the character and history of Willy Wonka, and it greatly screws up the ending.

The overall production is fantastic, which is no surprise, considering Tim Burton's long line of credits. Great casting for everyone, including all of Charlie's family as well as the other four children. The factory itself is a work of art, creatively creating all the random elements of the chocolate-producing arena. And while the special effects aren't breathtaking, everything is fun and bright and real-looking, from the blueberry Violet to the squirrels to the great glass elevator. It's just great eye-candy (pun intended). Upon learning that all the Oompa Loompas were played by one person, I was worried that it would come off as creepy, but it just made it all the more entertaining. Deep Roy (whoever that is) produces lots of laughs with his antics.

Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka is predictably eccentric and hilariously odd, a perfect match for Wonka's personality. His off-handed coldness disappointed some critics, forgetting that that's the whole point of his character. Random, impulsive, having no regard for the children---that's part of who he is. Yet I still think they took it a little too far. By giving him short cropped hair and a high voice, he unfortunately seemed girly or gay at times, and the Michael Jackson comparisons induced by the sunglasses aren't flattering. Still, he is far more amusing than frightening. The addition of Wonka's childhood flashbacks have been criticized as well, but for the most part they were interesting and explanatory, a book-to-movie change that actually works.

The ending was also troublesome in that it skewered the theme. The main point of the books was that it's not good to be greedy, selfish, or watch TV all day. Apparently Hollywood was too afraid to preach these morals, leaving that merely to the lyrics of the Oompa Loompa songs that mixed with cool sounds, flashing lights, and fun techno dancing (quite entertaining, actually). Instead, they turned the ending into a happy feel-good thing by having Wonka join Charlie's family, since he never really had one. How touching. The importance of family is certainly a value that needs preaching, but it felt contrived and just didn't go along with the rest of the movie---the other kids failed because they were brats, not because they didn't have a loving family.

But maybe I'm just being too picky. It's a kid's movie about chocolate, for goodness' sake. And at least it doesn't surrender anything to all that low-carb, low-calorie, low-fat, low-everything diet craze that I'm so sick of by now. Chocolate is still chocolate, and it still tastes good. Charlie will entertain you and make you laugh, at the same time reminding you that family is important and that always getting what you want isn't. It will also make you hungry.

Edmond the Hun