Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 09, 2005 | | Summary | A Superb Presentation Of Pure Silliness | Content
 | Plot: Charlie is a boy who comes from a low-on-their-luck family. They haven't much of anything except each other. It is Charlie's birthday that will be soon arriving, and for his present he will get one Wonka Bar. But this year it will be different. Willy Wonka just so happens to be re-opening his factory, and five golden tickets are randomly placed in the most current production line of Wonka Bars. The five lucky children who find these tickets will receive a tour of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory for an entire day. And one extra-lucky child will receive a mystery prize at the end of the tour beyond their wildest imagination. Sure enough, Charlie ends up being one of those lucky children to enter the factory. So, along with four others, he meets Willy Wonka on that anticipated day and enters his palace-like factory, unaware of the absolutely amazing things he is about to see. And once those doors shut behind them, the magic begins. Room after room, we (the viewers) are treated to some truly colorful and imaginative sights. Along the way are the singing Oopma-Loompas, giant waterfalls of chocolate, edible grass and trees, kooky new inventions, and plenty more. Throughout the tour, however, each child's curiosity and spoiled nature brings about problems, and one by one they create their own catastrophes sure to end their visit! By the end of the film, of course, Charlie is the only one left and becomes the winner of the fantastic prize. But when the prize is revealed, the most important things in life are finally seen by Charlie as well as Willy Wonka, ultimately leading to a heart-warming ending that holds an important message for children and adults alike.
Johnny Depp certainly makes a delightful Willy Wonka. Through the movie trailers, I thought Charlie And The Chocolate Factory would be a bit weirder and more twisted than it actually was. Regardless, you can be assured that Depp's portrayal of Wonka is no less than absolutely nutty! Depp's acting combined with the usual greatness of Tim Burton's peculiarly fascinating style (as well as some assistance from scorist Danny Elfman) is plenty of a reason to see this superb remake. This is a wonderful and amusing film for the entire family! |
| Rating | | | Date | August 09, 2005 | | Summary | Much better than original | Content
| This version of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", directed by Tim Burton, was much better than the original. Why? Because it was more realisitc (believe it or not) and gave the viewer more information through flashbacks. I think, in order for the movie to be good, these things need to balance with its weirdness. This movie also had a better ending.
And it is weird. Johnny Depp's portrayl as the shutup Willy Wonka is creepy, but still effective. Freddie Highmore demonstrates he's still a good actor, but then again always plays the same part. Danny Elfman's score is what really moves this movie along-. There are five small songs throughout, but the underscore is even better. John August's script is also creative and fresh. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 09, 2005 | | Summary | More faithful to the book than original | Content
| Immediately after watching Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, I quickly read the book, found to my amazement a 90% movie/book correlation, and then rewatched the first movie starring Gene Wilder. The winner is Tim Burton's version, and is it a sweet treat!
Those who have either read Roald Dahl's book or seen the Gene Wilder version will know of the mad search for five golden tickets hidden in chocolateer Willy Wonka's Wonka Bars, the prize being a guided tour given to a child and one parent, and other prizes. Charlie Bucket lives with his poverty-ridden family in a cramped decrepit house in the city with both his parents and both sets of grandparents, his elders sharing the same bed, one couple facing each other. Besides listening to Grandpa Joe's stories, his sole bright time of the year is getting a Wonka bar for his birthday.
He is lucky enough to be one of the five winners and takes his Grandpa Joe with him
Variations include added material, such as Willy Wonka's life as a child, which sends him into a bit of a daze whenever he remembers it, most of it due to Charlie's questions. In flashbacks, one witnesses Willy in an oppressive braces contraption, installed by his severe anti-sweets dentist father (Christopher Lee) that resembles a torture device rather than something to straighten teeth.
Johnny Depp is perfect as Willy Wonka, down to the costume, dreamy smile, childish imagination-in other words, a lovable eccentric. Despite the sort of high-pitched voice, pale face, and gloved hands, the comparisons to Michael Jackson are unjustified. He has some funny lines, when introducing the candy meadow. "Everything in there is edible, including me. But that's called cannibalism and is frowned upon."
Per the book, both of Charlie's parents are alive. And instead of the Anthony Newley/Leslie Bricusse songs, two of the songs from the book are used; the ones the Oompa Loompas use after Augustus is sent up the strawberry fudge factory is close to if not identical to the song in the book. And yes, Veruca's disposal is by a hoard of trained squirrels in charge of cracking walnuts and not for desiring a golden egg. This leads to the funniest line and double-entendre in the film, shouted by Wonka to Veruca: "Don't touch that squirrel's nuts!" And David Kelly is perfect as Grandpa Joe, as he does appear 96 years old compared to Jack Albertson. Kelly of course played Michael O'Sullivan in Waking Ned Devine, where he is seen riding a bicycle in his birthday suit.
I suppose one can forgive 70's technology, but the river and waterfalls of chocolate in the edible meadow is thicker and more chocolaty compared to the original, which more or less looked like mop water. And Violet's transformation is more realistic than the original, where it looked like she had blue lights shining on her.
As for the four naughty tykes, well, they compare favourably to the earlier incarnations of Augustus, Veruca, Violet, and Mike. Mike Teavee's favourite pastime is updated to PS2-type violent video games, and his kicking of sweets in the meadow is rather disturbing. Veruca herself is even more vicious and demanding of her parents. Indeed, when her father hands her the golden tickets his factory workers have found, she looks as if she expected nothing less and instantly says, "I want a new pony." Uh, is "thank you very much" in her vocabulary? Apparently not!
This also reunites Johnny Depp and Freddie Highmore once more, as Depp played J.M. Barrie to Freddie's Peter in Finding Neverland. And it's high time Deep Roy, who plays the hundreds of digitally duplicated Oompa Loompas, got some recognition, as I remember him as the ill-fated midget assassin in The Pink Panther Strikes Again, the homicidal Mr. Sin in Dr. Who-Talons of Weng-Chiang. This is his third film with Burton after Planet of the Apes and Big Fish (Mr. Soggybottom). He has lots of fun doing the songs, especially one where there's a nod to Busby Berkeley's bathing beauties diving into the pool and doing the synchronized routine where they form a star, and the 80's heavy metal spoof following Mike's disposal.
It pays to be modest and quiet, as opposed to being gluttonous, greedy, ultra-competitive, violent, or addicted to TV to the exclusion of all else. That's Charlie Bucket for you. And it also pays to be creative and talented-that's Tim Burton and Johnny Depp for you. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 09, 2005 | | Summary | Chocolate Heaven | Content
| Anyone looking for a science fiction action thriller might be a little disappointed here. But that does NOT mean this is a bad movie me myself i liked it alot. In this one the audience gets to go through Mr. Wonkas head into the past (for some Burtonesque times) and in this movie the sets are a mixed of bright and dark colors depending on what the mood is supposed to be. I thought this movie had a little comedy in it but it is not a comedy. You also get to see how Mr.Wonka got his new workers, how he made his factory,and some more goodies. And yes it is kinda a musical but the music is fine nothing to worry about. I can also see how some of it might scare a child (which is cool making it more for adults) here are my ratings:
Music: 4/5 It has some good hooks but it aint THE BEST
Directing: 5/5 What else do i need to say
Acting: 4/5 They are good but no ones pefect
Visual/Sets: 5/5 Thats half the reason I wanted to see this movie
Story: 5/5 I really recommend the book.
Overall: 5/5 I really liked this movie and it would be a great DVD if you have kids around
Finishing Thoughts:
This is a great movie but maybe youre one of the jerks that would rather watch The Dukes of Hazzard and then say this movie sucked (even though you havent seen Charlie) i just hope not give it a chance and you might end up loving it. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 08, 2005 | | Summary | Gives a different perspective.... | Content
| You get what you expect from a version of Roald Dahl's beloved classic- golden tickets, oompa loomas singing, a bubblegum-chewing girl that turns into a giant blueberry- but in this story we learn not just Charlie's backround, but also Mr. Wonka's! We learn that his dad was a dentist and refused to let him eat candy (thus, little Willy bacame obsessed with it.) Some people say that Depp portrays too weird of a character-but given the circumstances (a man living alone in a huge chocolate factory with little men that sing and worship chocolate) it makes the character more believable ( and honestly, more interesting.)The whole family loved it. |
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