New to UK cinemas from today, and opening in the US on December 15th, is the musical fantasy film, Wonka. The movie – directed and co-written by Paul King – stars Timothée Chalamet, Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, Rowan Atkinson, Olivia Colman, Jim Carter, and Hugh Grant, and provides a sort-of origin story for eccentric chocolatier, Willy Wonka.
In the movie, Willy Wonka has a dream to open a chocolate shop and create the finest chocolates ever conceived. He has grand plans, and a huge belief in himself, but his confidence is rocked when his initial attempts to wow members of the public fall flat.
Unfortunately, those plans included making a great deal of money. Enough money to keep going, and to pay for his lodgings at a low-rent bed-and-breakfast run by the duplicitous Mrs. Scrubbit and her accomplice Bleacher.
However, when Mrs. Scrubbit fabricates various lodging costs, which puts Willy Wonka in vast debt, he is forced to work in her laundry room to pay off what he owes. Nevertheless, he still dreams big and tries to get back on track as best as he can.
But Wonka’s problems don’t just stop with Mrs. Scrubbit, he is also being pursued by a small orange man with green hair and a vendetta. And if this wasn’t enough, three rival chocolatiers, led by Arthur Slugworth, appear to have it in for Wonka and they won’t rest until he is run out of town.
I think it’s fair to say that most people reading this review will be familiar with the character of Willy Wonka. Either you have read Roald Dahl’s 1964 novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (or its sequel, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator), or you have watched one of the previous Willy Wonka movies, most notably the ’70s film starring Gene Wilder or the ’00s film starring Johnny Depp.
As such, before you go into a movie such as Wonka, you probably have a number of preconceptions and expectations about what you’re going to see. You might also be somewhat concerned that this latest Willy Wonka movie may not live up to what came before.
Well, the good news is, Wonka is a very enjoyable picture, which not only re-introduces the title character for a new generation, but should please older, more experienced audiences too. Wonka is funny, colourful, quite charming in places, and it more-or-less hits the sweet spot between being heartfelt and super-sugary.
The film isn’t perfect, and it does have a couple of key issues, but for the most part it is great stuff. It also branches away from the original book, as well as the two iconic movie adaptations, to offer something new.
In essence, this is an early adventure, which is set during Willy Wonka’s younger years. This is Willy in his pre-factory days, long before he ever clapped eyes on Charlie Bucket or surrounded himself with countless Oompa-Loompas.
There is one Oompa-Loompa who appears infrequently in the picture, but that’s about it. This Oompa-Loompa is played by Hugh Grant, and despite not being in the film very much, he is fabulous in the role and steals every scene he is in.
Outside of this, this is mostly new material. This new material also includes a collection of original songs, written especially for this film, which pop up throughout the movie.
I’ll highlight the songs first, because while Wonka is a mostly positive experience, it does have a couple of issues, and one of these issues is the songs. In short: The tunes in Wonka are a bit pants.
The songs aren’t awful, but they are not particularly great either. The tunes are the work of the Divine Comedy’s Neil Hannon, and while they are serviceable, they largely fall flat.
The other other issue in the film is the performance of lead star Timothée Chalamet, who also isn’t bad, but he’s not amazing either. Sometimes he’s perfectly fine, other times he’s not, but mostly he just doesn’t seem the right fit for the character.
The problem is, while Chalamet is a great actor, I’m not convinced he has the right gravitas or screen presence for the role of Willy Wonka. Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp had it, but I don’t believe Chalamet is there yet, resulting in a slightly uneven take on the iconic chocolatier.
I should make it clear that neither the issue with the songs, nor the slightly underwhelming performance from Chalamet ruin the film, so don’t think for one minute that they do. They simply are what they are, and that’s all that needs to be said.
In terms of the many positives of Wonka, the supporting cast are all fantastic, and it’s great to see so many famous British faces popping up on screen. From Rowan Atkinson’s rather naughty Father Julius, through to Paterson Joseph’s unscrupulous Slugworth, all of the actors make the film what it is and appear to be having a thoroughly good time in the process.
The aforementioned Hugh Grant is marvellous in the limited screen time he gets, but it’s Olivia Colman as Mrs. Scrubbit who is the real gem of the film. Colman is magnificent in everything she appears in, and this is no different.
Add to all this some great staging choices from director Paul King, as well as various scenes of spectacle, and Wonka is a treat. It’s a bit bonkers, it brings in a few familiar flourishes for long-term fans, and it’s fun for the entire family.
It’s not quite up there with King’s Paddington movies, but it does have a similar flavour, so if you like those pictures, then you’ll enjoy this one too. If you rate those films pretty highly (as you should), then simply lower your expectations just a touch for Wonka and you’ll be fine.
With Wonka arriving just in time for Christmas, I expect it will clean up at the box-office. It’s certainly a film for all ages (definitely one to take your nan to on Boxing Day), and I imagine we’ll see a sequel in the not-too distant future.
Wonka is fun, frothy, and fab. Grab the kids, load them up on sugar, and enjoy what’s on offer.
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Thank you for taking the time to read this review on It’s A Stampede!. For more reviews, check out the recommended reads below.
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