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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) |
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Written by Scott Meadow
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Monday, 01 August 2005 (read 2626 times) |
There is no mistaking Tim Burton's
rendition of Roald Dahl's book for the Gene Wilder vehicle of the early
1970s. The Oompah-Loompahs have rhythm, the narrative is
cohesive, and Wonka (Johnny Depp) is just plain chocolate-covered
crazy. And all three are great reasons to see it.
Value:
$7.00 | | Our rating system is based on a $7 ticket cost and is the most you should pay to see it. |
The story is familiar to movie buffs and
Dahl fans alike: a poor boy, against all odds finds a coveted "Wonka
Golden Ticket," which wins him a seat alongside an assortment of bad
mannered caricatures for a tour of Wonka's mysterious "chocolate
factory." Add to this a bevy of beloved Burton trademarks --
over-the-top characters, oddly gothic machinery, improbable sets -- and
you've almost got the setting for a neo-classic. But you're still
missing Willy.
To say that Depp plays the reclusive candyman as an "eccentric" does
almost nothing to communicate the performance. Take equal parts
eerie, enigmatic, and childlike -- add a healthy dose of
Michael Jackson-like creepiness -- and
you'll just about imagine Depp's conception of Wonka. Watching
his scenes is very much like watching a window washer alongside a large
skyscraper in a hurricane like wind. You want to look away,
certain he's going to fall to his death, but you can't. You're
mesmerized, you can't take your eyes off him for fear you're going to
miss something. And you can't.
Gone too are the song and dance numbers that riddled the 1971 classic,
as well as the reknown supporting cast, although this time does include
notables such as Helena Bonham Carter and Christopher Lee. This
time -- although punctuated with comically hip Oompah-Loompa (Deep Roy)
moral riffs -- it's just straight up storytelling.
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