Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (2005) - July 11, 2005
I have to admit, my opinion on this movie is not without bias; I'm not sure what I'd think of it if it weren't for the classic 1971 film. But that film exists, and this one just cements my opinion that remakes are a waste of talent and time (yes, I know, this supposedly isn't a remake, it's an adaptation of the book -- but certain things look so similar to the original film, particularly the chocolate field and river, that it's impossible to deny that the original film has influenced this one). My main problem with this film is the character of Willy Wonka, as portrayed by Johnny Depp. He's unpleasant. He isn't likeable. And this is where my bias comes in, but he just can't compare to Gene Wilder's Wonka. There is a sense of wonder and awe that Wilder had that is particularly lacking in Depp's Wonka, and in the whole film in general. The problem there being that the whole movie is so stylized, and funky looking, by the time we get to Wonka's chocolate factory there is a certain ho-humness about it. It looks basically like a slightly sleeker version of the 1971 factory, and I guess I was expecting something slightly more fantastic given the overall visual sensibility of the film. But going back to the character of Wonka, with Gene Wilder there was still that mean streak, that feeling of spoiled kids getting their due, but there was also a sense of humanity in his character. You get the sense that he is still like a kid in a candy store; he has a certain awe and reverence for his own creation. Depp, on the other hand, seems to be disgusted by everything and everyone around him, and has a blasé attitude towards the whole factory. BUT despite all that (and that sure is a lot of criticism) I didn't hate this film. Being a Tim Burton film it was expectedly well directed, and entertaining on a purely visual level. And it was basically entertaining, if a little long. Plus the kid playing Charlie was good, as was his whole family. First Planet of the Apes and now this. Tim Burton should stick to his own material. **1/2