 Tagline: Charlie Is lucky to be there Tagline: It was once a place for pure imagination. -- Now, under Tim Burton's care, it's a madhouse again. What wonders await you in Willy Wonka's factory? Explore fields of soft minty sugar grass in the Chocolate Room...Sail along the Chocolate River in a pink sugar boat...Experiment with Everlasting Gobstoppers in the Inventing Room...Observe talented squirrels in the Nut Room and travel to the Television Room by a glass elevator. You'll find a lot that's funny, a little that's mysterious...and an adventure as sweet as a satisfying as a Wonka Whipple-Scrumptious Fudgemallow Delight bar. This dazzling film adapted from Roald Dahl's classic children's novel, directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp and Freddie Highmore, is your Golden Ticket to a world so inventive, so imaginative, you won't want to miss a delicious moment! Storyline: When Willy Wonka decides to let five children into his chocolate factory, he decides to release five golden tickets in five separate chocolate bars, causing complete mayhem. The tickets start to be found, with the fifth going to a very special boy, called Charlie Bucket. With his Grandpa, Charlie joins the rest of the children to experience the most amazing factory ever. But not everything goes to plan within the factory. Written by FilmFanUK Editor's Note: Willy Wonka's (Johnny Depp) headline-seizing plan to spruce up his chocolate business is to plant five golden tickets randomly inside his signature bars, inviting the lucky winners to an exclusive tour of his vast candy factory. For poor Charlie Bucket (Freddie Highmore, "Finding Neverland"), chances of securing a ticket are slim, but luck is soon on his side; joining spoiled Veruca Salt (Julia Winter), competitive Violent Beauregard (Annasophia Robb), perpetually consuming Augustus Gloop (Philip Wiegratz), and violent Mike Teavee (Jordon Fry), Charlie meets Wonka, the reclusive, eccentric fellow behind the delicious, yet highly mysterious treats of the factory. As the tour commences, weird things start happening to the selfish, misbehaving children, leaving Charlie alone to deal with Wonka's bizarre behavior, eventually tasked to help the mad genius sort out his own father issues. If not exactly a classic film, Mel Stuart's 1971 fantasy creation, "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory," has stood the test of time with its tender realization of childhood sugar-high fantasies and morbid, goofball humor. With Gene Wilder at the helm of the considerable steerage of oddities, the loose Roald Dahl adaptation has aged as a major peculiarity from the generally peculiar 1970s, yet, at the same time, has remained wonderful. Over 30 years later, noted quirkmeister Tim Burton has taken up the challenge to bring the book (with the true "Charlie" title) to the screen again, and he's out to claim the definitive cinema version for himself. Taking time to compare the two productions is a fruitless quest. The Stuart film was fashioned in a sincere era of musicals, practical effects, and gee-whiz kid acting. Burton's effort exists in a more cynical time, guided by a more sarcastic filmmaker. Opening with the familiar choral sounds of a Danny Elfman score backing the creation, by cold steel machines, of the Wonka bars, the tone is clearly set: this is no candy shop, and the candy man can't. Burton has more in store for his audience than simple sweets and soft-shoe. With a rapturous and meticulous production design, a tongue firmly planted in cheek, and the appearance of Christopher Lee as Willy's disapproving dentist dad, this is a Burton film through and through. That being established, "Charlie" is a chilly affair, more concerned with technical prowess than a gushing heart or smoothly connected plot. For the most part, this change in focus is appetizing, for Burton's take on Willy's chocolate factory is a marvel, packed with infinite candy rooms, one staffed by nut-detecting squirrels; highlighting the singing, dancing, cocoa-bean worshiping Oompa Loompas (all played by movie MVP, Deep Roy, "The Neverending Story"); and offering a legitimate taste of danger as the kids test the boundaries of Wonka's patience. While a good portion of the movie is sweetened with colorful CGI, Burton still palms the primal magic of Wonka's wonderland with his broad, idiosyncratic visuals. The fantastical depth and semi-sinister verve he gives the factory is almost perfect. Almost perfect can also be written of Johnny Depp, who steps out of the mile-long shadow of Gene Wilder to fashion his own twisted take on Willy. Since the tonal aim for "Charlie" isn't pointed at the heart, Depp's Wonka is rendered a strange, pale fellow who hates parents, is easily annoyed by children, and appears to be a germaphobe. Not exactly the winking teddy bear Wilder went after in his legendary performance, but Depp's oddball acting fits heavenly with Burton's vision, and the two team up yet again for another stimulating, wildly outrageous collaboration. However, with Depp and the special effects taking the lead, poor little Charlie isn't left with much to do. Freddie Highmore is an inspired choice for the unlikely Golden Ticket winner, and his English puppy dog demeanor does the film a world of good in the emotion department. Nevertheless, Burton keeps Charlie at arm's length for the entire film, along with the other young actors (who aren't nearly as interesting or natural as Highmore), leaving unfair comparisons to the broad but endearing acting work from the original incarnation to linger in the senses. Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Brian Orndorf, October 5, 2011 -- It was once a place for pure imagination. Now, under Tim Burton's care, it's a madhouse again. Willy Wonka's (Johnny Depp) headline-seizing plan to spruce up his chocolate business is to plant five golden tickets randomly inside his signature bars, inviting the lucky winners to an exclusive tour of his vast candy factory. For poor Charlie Bucket (Freddie Highmore, "Finding Neverland"), chances of securing a ticket are slim, but luck is soon on his side; joining spoiled Veruca Salt (Julia Winter), competitive Violent Beauregard (Annasophia Robb), perpetually consuming Augustus Gloop (Philip Wiegratz), and violent Mike Teavee (Jordon Fry), Charlie meets Wonka, the reclusive, eccentric fellow behind the delicious, yet highly mysterious treats of the factory. As the tour commences, weird things start happening to the selfish, misbehaving children, leaving Charlie alone to deal with Wonka's bizarre behavior, eventually tasked to help the mad genius sort out his own father issues. If not exactly a classic film, Mel Stuart's 1971 fantasy creation, "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory," has stood the test of time with its tender realization of childhood sugar-high fantasies and morbid, goofball humor. With Gene Wilder at the helm of the considerable steerage of oddities, the loose Roald Dahl adaptation has aged as a major peculiarity from the generally peculiar 1970s, yet, at the same time, has remained wonderful. Over 30 years later, noted quirkmeister Tim Burton has taken up the challenge to bring the book (with the true "Charlie" title) to the screen again, and he's out to claim the definitive cinema version for himself. Taking time to compare the two productions is a fruitless quest. The Stuart film was fashioned in a sincere era of musicals, practical effects, and gee-whiz kid acting. Burton's effort exists in a more cynical time, guided by a more sarcastic filmmaker. Opening with the familiar choral sounds of a Danny Elfman score backing the creation, by cold steel machines, of the Wonka bars, the tone is clearly set: this is no candy shop, and the candy man can't. Burton has more in store for his audience than simple sweets and soft-shoe. With a rapturous and meticulous production design, a tongue firmly planted in cheek, and the appearance of Christopher Lee as Willy's disapproving dentist dad, this is a Burton film through and through. That being established, "Charlie" is a chilly affair, more concerned with technical prowess than a gushing heart or smoothly connected plot. For the most part, this change in focus is appetizing, for Burton's take on Willy's chocolate factory is a marvel, packed with infinite candy rooms, one staffed by nut-detecting squirrels; highlighting the singing, dancing, cocoa-bean worshiping Oompa Loompas (all played by movie MVP, Deep Roy, "The Neverending Story"); and offering a legitimate taste of danger as the kids test the boundaries of Wonka's patience. While a good portion of the movie is sweetened with colorful CGI, Burton still palms the primal magic of Wonka's wonderland with his broad, idiosyncratic visuals. The fantastical depth and semi-sinister verve he gives the factory is almost perfect. Almost perfect can also be written of Johnny Depp, who steps out of the mile-long shadow of Gene Wilder to fashion his own twisted take on Willy. Since the tonal aim for "Charlie" isn't pointed at the heart, Depp's Wonka is rendered a strange, pale fellow who hates parents, is easily annoyed by children, and appears to be a germaphobe. Not exactly the winking teddy bear Wilder went after in his legendary performance, but Depp's oddball acting fits heavenly with Burton's vision, and the two team up yet again for another stimulating, wildly outrageous collaboration. However, with Depp and the special effects taking the lead, poor little Charlie isn't left with much to do. Freddie Highmore is an inspired choice for the unlikely Golden Ticket winner, and his English puppy dog demeanor does the film a world of good in the emotion department. Nevertheless, Burton keeps Charlie at arm's length for the entire film, along with the other young actors (who aren't nearly as interesting or natural as Highmore), leaving unfair comparisons to the broad but endearing acting work from the original incarnation to linger in the senses. Tim Burton's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" corrects many mistakes found in the Stuart film (the Oompas aren't creepily orange and green anymore, and the helmer has mercifully done away with the infamously bizarre, psychedelic boat trip sequence), along with raising the visual stakes for the more outlandish tangents of the story that needed it. Burton has created a genuinely amusing movie for the entire family, blessed with a zippy run time and extended narrative stay. Those tired of the Wilder warmth often associated with this ominous tale will rejoice over this icy stab at detailing Wonka's outrageous, mind-altering tour. Cast Notes: Johnny Depp (Willy Wonka), Freddie Highmore (Charlie Bucket), David Kelly (Grandpa Joe), Helena Bonham Carter (Mrs. Bucket), Noah Taylor (Mr. Bucket), Missi Pyle (Mrs. Beauregarde), James Fox (Mr. Salt), Deep Roy (Oompa Loompa), Christopher Lee (Dr. Wonka), Adam Godley (Mr. Teavee), Franziska Troegner (Mrs. Gloop), Annasophia Robb (Violet Beauregarde), Julia Winter (Veruca Salt), Jordan Fry (Mike Teavee), Philip Wiegratz (Augustus Gloop). IMDb Rating (10/30/05): 7.5/10 from 24,086 users
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