Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

The first time I saw the preview for this I thought Tim Burton and Johnny Depp pairing again, this will definitely not be my parents retelling of the story by Roald Dahl. Of course, I was not sure how I would feel about it and did not want it hurting the original movie version because it is a definite classic. I was definitely intrigued though to see how Depp's portrayal of Wonka would compare to the iconic portrayal that Gene Wilder gave to the role. After seeing the movie it was nice to see that the two movies are so vastly different that comparing the two would be like comparing apples and oranges.

While Depp gives once again a great wackiness in a dark way his acting does not overpower. The role of Wonka comes off many ways as a paranoid eccentric business owner. Depp gives some great one liners and works well with the cast. With Depp not overpowering in his role it gave room for Freddie Highmore to show off his talent as Charlie. Highmore shows that his great acting abilities he showed in Finding Neverland was not just a fluke. He gives a great lovable feeling to Charlie and really does a great job at giving you the anti child to the other golden ticket winners.

Tim Burton and his vision are crystal clear throughout the movie. Burton uses a a very effective contrasting of colors between the world that Charlie lives in, with it being full of grays and gives the viewer a feeling of the dismal conditions. He then contrasts that with the interior of the factory, which is full of vibrant colors. The vibrant colors really give the cinematography a great view and transports the reader into the world, in a way that you are immersed completely in the film.

They were successful with the toughest job, in the not making the viewer feel like this was a remake of the original but took it in a way that it is impossible to compare the two since they both go about telling the story in completely different ways. It was especially great to see Burton not only re imagine the Oompa Loompas but also to create different and unique songs.

This retelling of the story while darker then the other version is still an enjoyable family movie. Highmore and Depp work together well and give an odd chemistry. I am giving Charlie and the Chocolate Factory three and a half buckets of popcorn out of five. If you have not seen it, I would recommend it next time you are tyring to figure out which movie you would like to watch.

-The Movie Man-