Cast: Johnny Depp (Willy Wonka), Freddie Highmore (Charlie Bucket), David Kelly (Grandpa Joe)
Director: Tim Burton
Genre: Family
Hollywood has deeply submerged itself into the not-so-competitive market of film remakes causing audiences to thirst all the more for half-way enjoyable cinematic adventures. It’s nothing more than a feeble attempt to remake the classic children’s film Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. This one has a slightly darker tone common with Tim Burton films. There was more to dislike about this film than there was to enjoy. Firstly, I thought Wonka had a sort of weird resemblance to Michael Jackson. He was creepier in a whimsical way than he was mysterious and actually enjoyable like Gene Wilder’s Wonka. Gene Wilder seemed like a Wonka who took his talent seriously but didn't let it get in the way of being human. He was a Wonka who made candy because it made people happy. Depp just seemed like a Wonka who simply had an issue with his father and was in serious need of therapy. I didn’t care much for the initial setting. It looked like industrial age England set in modern times. It didn’t add any sort of realism to the film. This particular element was horrible when compared to the original film. The fantasy in the original film was completely inside the factory while in the newer version the whole thing is fantastical. Sure, the world outside the factory is “real” but it’s displayed in a more storybook manner. It all seemed completely devoid of sense. The new version was a lame attempt at giving the older film a new look to suit today’s audiences. The music itself was horrible, excluding Roald Dahl’s lyrics from his book. One thing specifically I noticed was that Burton’s film had put realism into the fantasy (i.e. the great glass elevator) and tried to make anything fantastical, real. It was a different perspective of a film I enjoyed a lot as a child- nothing more. The chocolate itself is the main purpose of the film. I was more repulsed by seeing all the chocolate and candy in this film than I was with the original film. The older version was certainly more enticing. The children in this film over emphasized their particular faults- gluttony, avarice, pride, and sloth. Perhaps this was done purposely since the modern child-audience just wouldn’t be able to catch it. Charlie (Freddie Highmore) was terribly portrayed. He spoke in the same, soft monotone manner throughout the picture. His lame smiles were completely put on. In the older version, though those kids seemed slightly over the top (well, at least Veruca Salt), they were very convincing. The children in this latest edition over played their parts. Ok, so this film may have been more faithful to the book itself. That doesn’t help the film any. It was a good effort in trying to make some fraction of this film enjoyable. There were some jokes I found amusing and even worth laughing at. The relatively new puppet hospital and burn center was rather humorous. All in all, the film was gasping for help. It was nothing more than another of Hollywood’s lame attempts to remake a film that never needed improvement in the first place. Why doesn’t Hollywood remake some of the bad films from the past? That would certainly make more sense and maybe they might redeem themselves in areas where they failed miserably! The original was classic. This one turned into Pee Wee's Playhouse right as Depp stepped into camera. Watch the original instead!
Director: Tim Burton
Genre: Family
Hollywood has deeply submerged itself into the not-so-competitive market of film remakes causing audiences to thirst all the more for half-way enjoyable cinematic adventures. It’s nothing more than a feeble attempt to remake the classic children’s film Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. This one has a slightly darker tone common with Tim Burton films. There was more to dislike about this film than there was to enjoy. Firstly, I thought Wonka had a sort of weird resemblance to Michael Jackson. He was creepier in a whimsical way than he was mysterious and actually enjoyable like Gene Wilder’s Wonka. Gene Wilder seemed like a Wonka who took his talent seriously but didn't let it get in the way of being human. He was a Wonka who made candy because it made people happy. Depp just seemed like a Wonka who simply had an issue with his father and was in serious need of therapy. I didn’t care much for the initial setting. It looked like industrial age England set in modern times. It didn’t add any sort of realism to the film. This particular element was horrible when compared to the original film. The fantasy in the original film was completely inside the factory while in the newer version the whole thing is fantastical. Sure, the world outside the factory is “real” but it’s displayed in a more storybook manner. It all seemed completely devoid of sense. The new version was a lame attempt at giving the older film a new look to suit today’s audiences. The music itself was horrible, excluding Roald Dahl’s lyrics from his book. One thing specifically I noticed was that Burton’s film had put realism into the fantasy (i.e. the great glass elevator) and tried to make anything fantastical, real. It was a different perspective of a film I enjoyed a lot as a child- nothing more. The chocolate itself is the main purpose of the film. I was more repulsed by seeing all the chocolate and candy in this film than I was with the original film. The older version was certainly more enticing. The children in this film over emphasized their particular faults- gluttony, avarice, pride, and sloth. Perhaps this was done purposely since the modern child-audience just wouldn’t be able to catch it. Charlie (Freddie Highmore) was terribly portrayed. He spoke in the same, soft monotone manner throughout the picture. His lame smiles were completely put on. In the older version, though those kids seemed slightly over the top (well, at least Veruca Salt), they were very convincing. The children in this latest edition over played their parts. Ok, so this film may have been more faithful to the book itself. That doesn’t help the film any. It was a good effort in trying to make some fraction of this film enjoyable. There were some jokes I found amusing and even worth laughing at. The relatively new puppet hospital and burn center was rather humorous. All in all, the film was gasping for help. It was nothing more than another of Hollywood’s lame attempts to remake a film that never needed improvement in the first place. Why doesn’t Hollywood remake some of the bad films from the past? That would certainly make more sense and maybe they might redeem themselves in areas where they failed miserably! The original was classic. This one turned into Pee Wee's Playhouse right as Depp stepped into camera. Watch the original instead!
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