DVD Review: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

By Patrick Luce Nov 8, 2005, 15:30 GMT

The movie once again adapts Roald Dahl's famous story of the same name, and brings it to the screen in a strange and colorful world that only Burton could create.

The movie follows the story of a poor boy named Charlie who wins a chance to meet a mysterious and eccentric candy maker named Willy Wonka (played by Johnny Depp) and take a tour of his even stranger factory along with four other children.

Charlie, who lives with his parents and four grandparents, is an honest and well-mannered boy compared to the four other spoiled and rotten children that join him on the tour.  As Wonka takes the group deeper into his mysterious and “magical” factory each of the other children’s bad behavior leads them into trouble.

By the end, Charlie and his grandfather are the only ones left, and the two learn what reward Wonka has in mind for Charlie – who is kind and respectful. The story remains true to the nature of the book, and each of the children do an excellent job in their roles.

All of the bad kids are really good at acting bratty, and they succeed in letting you enjoy when they finally gets what coming to them. Burton does a good job of letting each child have their own personality, and stand out with their little back-stories. Julia Winter, who plays Veruca Salt is great as the spoiled princess. You really don’t feel bad for her when the squirrels attack in probably one of the film’s funniest scenes.

Tim Burton brings the magical world of Willy Wonka to life

Burton seems like the perfect person to take on the children’s classic, and the director matches the story to his own unique vision that has been demonstrated in many of his previous films. The factory is visually stunning, and the special effects, including the mass army of digitally multiplied Oompa-Loompas, are great to watch. The songs of the Oompa-Loompas, all played by Deep Roy, remain funny and are a little more updated compared to the 1971 version of the story.

Depp’s portrayal of the Wonka character is a bit bizarre, but funny to kids – my six year-old loved it. He is a long way from the gentle character that Wilder played in the original version, and almost seems a bit more sinister and dumber at the same time.

The actor is great at creating characters that stick out in your memory, such as Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean, but his version of Wonka may be a little too far out for some adults to appreciate.

He does manage some funny slapstick moments, such as when he constantly hits his head on the glass elevator, and has some really funny dialogue. The actor also seems to have fun in the role, and his method works wells with Burton’s own odd style of filmmaking. The two have teamed together on several successful films, and this version of the story might go on to be a classic for a new generation of kids not familiar with the 1971 film.

Deep Roy brings the laughs as the Oompa-Loompas

The movie also sees the great Christopher Lee once again teaming with Burton in a supporting role. The actor, who had a cameo in Burton’s Sleep Hollow, plays Wonka’s father – who just happens to be a dentist. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn that Lee not only forbid a young Willy Wonka from eating candy, but disowned him for his love of chocolate. The actor is really great in the role, and the flashback scene of Lee burning Wonka’s Halloween candy is hilarious.

The film’s music also helps move the story along, and sees Burton once again teaming with the great Danny Elfman for the film’s soundtrack. Elfman is great at using the film’s music to help set the tone, and his soundtrack is almost as identifiable as Burton’s own unique visual style.<!--page-->

Depp is quirky as Willy Wonka

There are also several activities for kids and adults to enjoy including Oompa-Loompa Dance; The Bad Nut; The Inventing Machine; and Search for the Golden Ticket.

The Oompa-Loompa Dance teaches you how to do some of the dances that the little guys do during the movie as they sing and make fun of the kids that have been bad. The Bad Nut has you help the squirrels sort out the bad nuts from the good ones. Each time a nut is improperly sorted you lose a squirrel, and at the end you receive a “nutty” evaluation.

The Inventing Machine lets you mix two ingredients together and have the Oompa-Loompa take a taste test of your concoction. The Search for the Golden Ticket has you complete five challenges, and lets you can play as one of the five kids from the movie.

All of the kids are great at being bad

Although Burton and Depp seem like the perfect combination for Dahl's classic children’s story, the movie may fall a little flat with those who love the 1971 Gene Wilder take on the book. The movie manages to be very funny at times, and is visually stunning. All of the children are good in their roles, and Deep Roy keeps you laughing through all the Oompa-Loompa songs and scenes.

I would recommend the movie to anyone who loved the book, or anyone with kids. It is a great family movie that is suitable for all ages and manages to capture the imagination of kids. Some adults who remember the 1971 version may not like Burton’s update, but the movie is worth watching and giving a chance. There are plenty of laughs for kids and adults.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is now available at Amazon. It is available for pre-order at AmazonUK for a Nov. 21st release. Visit the DVD’s database for more information.