Ben Oliver

Banner image for Wonka
film

Wonka

May I present, Willy Wonka’s wild and wonderful wishy-washy Wonka walker! Please, don’t make me say that again.
19 January 2025

After Tim Burton’s weak effort1 at a Wonka remake (made 20 years ago!) I’m not sure the world was calling out for more, and a prequel starring Timothée Man-of-the-moment Chalamet seems on the face of it like another cynical cash grab.

However, what caught my eye was that behind the scenes it’s Paul King and Simon Farnaby writing and directing Wonka, creators of the brilliant first two Paddington films. Sure enough a lot of that signature rich background detail and larger than life world can be seen here. There are little jokes and bits of fun pouring out of every scene and the supporting cast are excellent right down to people with just one line.

There’s something missing here though, and I suspect it’s the fictional setting that doesn’t quite gel. Where Paddington was in part a love letter to London, here we have a generic European city that just borrows bits of everything but isn’t really anything.

Chalamet isn’t a terrible fit as Wonka although you are sometimes left wondering who else they might have cast in the role. I think it’s more the story that lets it down, with the film taking a dull narrative arc with pretty low stakes. Wonka seems always able to get out of any scrapes so it’s a foregone conclusion that he’s never really in trouble here and he has nothing to lose.

The anti-capitalist theme is a little bit hypocritical given that it’s using old IP to sell tickets to a new film.

So what’s the prognosis here? It’s a whimsical and colourful production with a solid cast and some nice set design. But it’s also sterile, and strips Willy Wonka of his underlying menace and madness. Roald Dahl is a master of scaring the shit out of children, and Wonka completely forgets that idea.

Reply by email