Wonka (2023)
Time: 1h 57mins
Director: Paul King
Quick Summary: With dreams of opening a shop in a city renowned for its chocolate, a young and poor Willy Wonka discovers that the industry is run by a cartel of greedy chocolatiers.
Puffy-wuffy is now my most ick-worthy nickname.
You know I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this one, being that it is a prequel before the events of the factory. I felt like it was going to be a cash grab. I was delightfully wrong. While this doesn't have the exact same charm as the last two, this has a new type.
Timothée Chalamet plays a not-so-nuts version of our beloved guy. This time he is more silly and whimsical than anything, which actually I do think I prefer. It's like, the guy is a genius but filled to the brim with childlike wonder and happiness. Everything he does he is just so happy to be there, and manages to pull off a few magical tricks while doing so. Sweet to his core.
I'm not so sure how I feel about the story this time as it does feel a bit too childish. Maybe a little too simple. Don't get me wrong I really enjoyed my time watching this, but I don't feel wowed by it. I think the same goes for the songs, sure they're a little fun in the moment but again, I wasn't wowed by them. But what I can say, even though it wasn't wow material, it's still a wonderful heartwarming tale of how far kindness can go and what one person can do to change things.
I did like a lot of the characters in this as I found them to be really funny and charming. Each one of the supporting cast takes turns stealing the spotlight, and it's a win each time. Everyone gets their little moments and they're all really enjoyable. Any moment when Hugh Grant was on screen was brilliant since he was just so nonchalant about everything going on. I will say the villains felt a little too campy in humour, which isn't a bad thing, it's just they didn't really come across like how I assume they were supposed to.
Compared to the other two, this is definitely funnier. This comes from either Timothée reacting to things in various quirky ways, written jokes, or little bizarre moments such as a policeman who has been bribed through chocolate getting fatter very rapidly throughout the film.
While this is charming in its own way, it lacks the extra oomph to make it a spectacle. Though I am glad kids now will have this version of Wonka growing up.
8/10
"Noodle: What are you doing?
Willy Wonka: I'm making chocolate, of course. How do you like it? Dark? White? Nutty? Absolutely insane."
"Willy Wonka: So, you're the funny little man who's been following me.
Oompa-Loompa: I will have you know that I'm a perfectly respectable size for an Oompa-Loompa.
Willy Wonka: An Oompa-what-now?
Oompa-Loompa: Allow me to refresh your memory.
[plays the flute]
Willy Wonka: Oh, I don't think I want to hear that.
Oompa-Loompa: Too late.
[starting to dance]
Oompa-Loompa: I've started dancing now. Once we've started, we can't stop."
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