Wonka Review: A Chocolaty Masterpiece

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For the third time, the Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory story has been brought to the big screen. Unlike the previous two adaptations, Wonka starts the story from the beginning with a young Willy Wonka and no chocolate factory in sight.

It’s a coming-of-age story, but it’s so much more than that. Unlike the 2005 version, Wonka brings creativity and joy to the big screen. The themes in this movie make for a much more enjoyable watch, and the characters are fantastic.

I have to preface this by mentioning that I have never seen the 1971 version with Gene Wilder, so most of the comparison done in this review will refer back to Johnny Depp’s 2005 movie.

Without going any further, Timothée Chalamet is Willy Wonka. The mannerisms, the look, and his performance was spectacular. The character is much more upbeat and interesting than Johnny Depp’s, and this seems to fit Chalamet’s personality perfectly. The line between actor and character blurs, and it feels like Chalamet and Wonka are the same.

The musical performance was also excellent, and the songs had their place. I’m not always a big fan of musical movies, but there are only like 6 songs and they add to the tone of the movie. Just like The Greatest Showman, or even Spirited to a lesser degree, this feels like a movie with songs instead of a musical shoved onto the big screen. Wonka’s hopeful personality shines through during the musical moments, and the songs are fun.

The story of Wonka is a great one, laying out the origin story of Willy Wonka in great detail and with charm. The plot follows a more classic style, spread out over multiple locations and a developing cast of characters.

Instead of a gloomy world and a factory holding most of the events, Wonka explores the chocolate industry and a section of the town. The plot holds a few minor storylines that help the movie move along at a decent pace, both developing the characters and the story under the guise of a fun little narrative.

I enjoyed how detailed the movie was with Wonka’s journey, including the many different ways he attempted to sell chocolate under the nose of the police. The different schemes were interesting and fun, and they filled some of the time gaps in a fun way. We got to see our team in action, and I enjoyed seeing the world around Wonka.

The main story is engaging and interesting, and although you know where it ultimately leads, I felt the movie did a good job of hiding how it would get to that conclusion. I also enjoyed the creation of a real adversary for Willy Wonka, which allowed the movie to have stakes in the final stretch. The villain isn’t a plot device or a theme or an idea, there are actual people trying to prevent Wonka from creating his chocolate empire.

The different types of chocolates are unique and well thought out. From the hover-choc to inspirational chocolate, the magic that Wonka can conjure through his candy is incredible. Although we know very little about the world around Wonka, the chocolate makes it clear that there is a colourful world to explore.

Wonka features a relatively deep cast of characters, but I found they all hold their own. Each character seems to have meaning, and they fill a hole in the movie. Whether it’s Slugworth, trying to remain in control of the chocolate industry, or the Chief of Police, trying to keep the peace in his town, all of the characters are well developed. It feels like everyone has their own lives, whether that is on screen or not, and it creates a more realistic feel for each of the characters.

The main characters around Wonka, such as Noodle and Abacus Crunch, are a breath of fresh air. They provide a range of opinions and they add some humour to the movie, but they also become somewhat of a family as the movie rolls along. Everyone is trying to accomplish their own goal, but they manage to band together to try to help Wonka achieve his.

As mentioned above, the acting in Wonka is fantastic from top to bottom, but it really starts with
Timothée Chalamet. Chalamet’s performance is one of the highlights of the movie, and he does an incredible job bringing Wonka to life.

The upbeat personality shines through, and the personal touch that Chalamet has gives the character life. It feels like we get to know Willy Wonka well over the course of the movie, and I would give most of the credit for that to Chalamet.

Aside from Wonka, I thought Paterson Joseph was great as Slugsworth, managing the emotions and mannerisms of a high-society businessman who also happens to act like a toddler. Slugsworth has two personalities, one that the world sees and one that only comes out in private, and I thought Paterson Joseph did a great job.

Keegan-Michael Key is great as the Chief of Police, and I also enjoyed Olivia Colman as Mrs. Scrubitt. Mrs. Scrubitt is a really odd role, but Colman brings the right energy to make the scenes funny or creepy, as opposed to awkward.

Overall, Wonka is a fantastic movie, one of the better ones I have seen this year. The atmosphere is fun and the story is engaging. I liked the way the story focuses more on the early years of Woka, creating a more enjoyable, easy-to-like character. The acting is great across the board, and Timothée Chalamet is the perfect casting choice. Although the future of Wonka is unclear, I would love to see Wonka return in the near future.