Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory is a visual stunner that, from what I recall, does attempt
to be a little more faithful to the book than the 1971 film that starred the wonderful
Gene Wilder, but somehow, it doesn’t quite maintain the same sort of magic.
Not for me anyway. That’s not to say that I consider the original film a
classic. It is terrific entertainment, but the Wizard of Oz it ain’t.
For
the few of you not familiar, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the tale of
little Charlie. He and his family are extremely poor, but manage to get through
life with a smile. Every now and again, grandpa Joe (David Kelly) tells Charlie
(Freddie Highmore) whimsical stories of his own past which revolve mostly around
his job working for the eccentric candy maker Willy Wonka (Johnny Depp). As Joe
explains it, Wonka eventually fired all his employees as he became increasingly
tired of spies revealing his secret recipes to other candy makers. Upon laying
off hundreds of workers, Wonka mysteriously vanishes into the confines of his
enormous candy factory never to be heard from again. This isn’t to say that
Wonka stops producing his world famous chocolate. Far from it. He continues to
make candy, but everyone is clueless as to who actually helps him in his confectionary
endeavors.
One
cold, and snowy morning, Wonka reveals himself to the world again through a most
exciting press release. The candy maker announces that he will allow five children
to take a tour of his factory should they find a golden ticket in one of his famous
Wonka chocolate bars.
As
fate would have it, hopeful dreamer Charlie is one of the lucky five. Along with
his enthusiastic grandfather, the two embark on a fanciful tour of Wonka’s
legendary Chocolate Factory, accompanied by an extremely odd host and four other
children with serious behavioral issues.
This
version of Roald Dahl’s beloved tale was directed by visionary Tim Burton
and truth be told, had anyone else been attached to this project, I probably would
have been nervous about it. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory just seems to be
the perfect kind of story for Burton to tell, and in fact, much of the way the
picture unfolds reminded me of some of the director’s other works, most notably
Edward Scissorhands (like Edward, the reclusive Willy Wonka remains hidden away
in a most enormous abode).
How
does this version measure up to the 70's take? While some might argue that it
isn’t fair to compare the two films, I will say this one does look better
(and that impressive look is greatly enhanced in the Imax format). The cinematography
and art direction in particular, are top notch. I just love the look of this picture.
The inside of the Factory is basically an edible version of Disneyland. An enormous,
colorful fortress in which nearly everything in sight is a tasty treat. And for
the most part, it is an actual set. My initial fear was that they would just CG
everything. As far as I can tell, the majority of what you will see is a live
set, and if not, my hats off to the effects crew.
There
are some terrific performances here. Freddie Highmore (who also starred alongside
Depp in the heartfelt Finding Neverland) is fantastic in the lead. While his Charlie
doesn’t have much money, he has an enormous heart, and young Highmore makes
us believe. David Kelly is sensational as Charlie’s loving (and lively) grandfather.
The moment he realizes he’ll be visiting the domain of his old boss, he’s
like a kid again. David Morris is terrific as grandpa George. At a glance, he
seems like a jerk, but before long, it’s obvious that he just so happens
to be the type of guys who likes to tell things as they are. We never doubt his
love for Charlie. Christopher Lee shows up in a bit part as Willy’s stern,
candy hater of a father-- not surprising given that he also happens to be a dentist.
Deep Roy has the daunting task of playing hundreds of Oompa Loompas (the little
people who help Wonka in his day to day operations), and while this feat is achieved
through the miracle of digitalization, Roy manages to shine through during several
clever moments.
The
other children in the picture are intentionally over the top in their brattiness,
and quite effective, although I must admit, some of these kids are downright creepy.
When little chocolate fiend Augustus (Philip Wiegratz) is first revealed, I thought
I was looking at some sort of bizarre Polar Express out take. He seriously looked
like a product of the motion capture process to me and it really creeped me out.
Surprisingly,
Depp mostly misses the mark as the eccentric Wonka. I’m a huge fan of this
gifted actor, and you’d think Wonka would be the perfect fit for him given
the odd and creative juice that flow through most of his characters. Strangely
though, his goofy grin, white clacking teeth, and reclusive manner don’t
suit the role. Not for me anyway. When I think about the owner of the world’s
most fantastical chocolate factory, I think of someone lively and bigger than
life, not someone withdrawn and introverted. While I certainly give props to Depp
for trying something new as opposed to doing a mere carbon copy of Gene Wilder’s
persona, he just didn’t get there for me. He puts this sort of weird Michael
Jackson spin on the role (only here, he isn’t a particular fan of children)
and it comes across as strange and creepy when I guess I was hoping for funny
and enchanting. The Boneman observed that he saw shades of Eric McCormack’s
character Will from TV’s Will and Grace. In the end, Depp does have a few
cute moments, but overall, I found him too subdued - and he was unable to generate
any comic energy.
Danny
Elfman’s score is stunning. It’s big, lush and near perfect. However,
Elfman’s Oompa Loompa songs didn’t quite work for me. I do like them
isolated. A couple of them sound like they might be Oingo Boingo B-Sides. In particular,
I love the "Veruca Salt" number, but somehow, these songs seem odd and
intrusive in the context of the film. This is disheartening given that Elfman’s
tunes in The Nightmare Before Christmas were absolutely in keeping with tone of
that movie.
Tim
Burton is clearly in his element here. He’s given the opportunity to do what
he does best in terms of creating breathtaking visual splendor. With Charlie and
the Chocolate Factor, he is able go off with his typical gothic sensibility, but
he also makes great use of bright, vibrant colors. The world he’s created
is a stunning one.
My
biggest problem with this interpretation is John August’s screenplay. For
the most part he is faithful to Dahl’s book, but I personally feel that there
were times when Mel Stuart actually improved upon the source material in his interpretation.
For example, I much prefer Wonka’s big introduction in the 70's film (that
whole cane gimmick and tumble thing is just pure magic), and I also loved the
ending of that picture in which a pure and innocent Charlie opts to return the
Everlasting Gobstopper to Wonka rather than trading it in to the mysterious Slugworth
for buckets of cash. In this version, the screenplay goes in a different route
in both cases. Wonka’s introduction here is more goofy than lively, and the
ending of the picture is more in keeping with the family theme that sort of flows
throughout the picture. These aren’t completely distracting alterations mind
you, but I couldn’t help but mention them for obvious reasons. Aside from
that, this version unfolds in a similar fashion with a few clever changes along
the way. I loved a creative homage to 2001: A Space Odyssey that occurs towards
the end of the film.
Sadly
though, much of this picture is lacking in magic and humor. It certainly has moments,
but not consistently. I can understand that the book is darker around the edges
and I appreciate the introduction of darker elements, but Charlie and the Chocolate
Factory is also joyful and whimsical in nature, and I didn’t always feel
that in this version. It should also be noted that there are inclusions in this
adaptation that don’t belong at all. I liked the flashbacks giving us insight
into what makes Willy Wonka tick, but the dramatic payoff that these flashbacks
lead to don’t really pack much of an emotional wallop. A similar such plot
line in Burton’s Big Fish worked much more effectively. And the brief Oompa
Loompa back story in which we see where these odd creatures come from is unnecessary.
It completely took me out of the moment.
Perhaps
the biggest irony revolving around this Charlie and the Chocolate Factory lies
in the title itself. I find it odd that the 70's picture was called Willy Wonka
and the Chocolate Factory when that film clearly spent more time developing Charlie’s
character. This version’s title has been restored to the same title as the
book, but this picture spends much more time giving us insight into who Willy
is. Strange.
Burton
is a true visionary, there’s no doubt about that. I enjoyed his take on Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory, but I wouldn’t rank it amongst the director’s
finest work. I still hold Edward Scissorhands and the underrated Ed Wood at the
top of this list. This movie is certainly visually sumptuous, but that magical
tone I was hoping for was all too scarce. I suppose I just didn’t find the
movie – if you’ll pardon the pun – sweet enough.
On
a side note, if you do go to see this film, do yourself a favor and check it out
in Imax. The enormous screen size really allows the audience to see all the intricate
detail that went into the making of this movie. And seeing Wonka’s enormous
Chocolate Factory in such scope is a special added treat.
