Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

My other half wanted to compare and contrast the remake and the original film, so here we are.

This film is definitely closer to the source material than the 1971 version in terms of plot and dialogue. In spite of this, it’s surely a stretch to think that Roald Dahl would have endorsed Burton’s work (having already rejected the 1971 film).

The main issue lies with Wonka himself. Depp finds no real soul in the character, and any sort of depth gets artificially enhanced by a weak side-plot about his father. The sense of mystery and danger are gone - Wonka is essentially a man-child now. It’s hard to see what they were going for.

The music has also lost a lot of its charm, with beautiful numbers like ‘Pure Imagination’ being replaced by a Danny Elfman™ score.

There are some pretty swanky special effects though. Deep Roy plays every single Oompa Loompa, a feat which cannot have been easy to pull off. Many of the sets are impressive too, especially when they lay off the CGI.

Like Wonka’s personality this film is colourful but sterile. It’s a shame that so much time, money and effort went into making something so unremarkable.