Honest Review – “Wonka” is a Trip Into Pure Imagination. We had the opportunity to see “Wonka” last night at AMC Disney Springs. For Christmas this year, our son Collin asked for AMC A-List membership. We took advantage of this and enrolled Collin and ourselves into this program. Collin and I decided to go see “Wonka” as our first movie.
“Wonka” was released on December 15, 2023, by Warner Bros. Starring Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka. Based on the extraordinary character at the center of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl’s most iconic children’s book and one of the best-selling children’s books of all time, “Wonka” tells the wondrous story of how the world’s greatest inventor, magician and chocolate-maker became the beloved Willy Wonka we know today.
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From Paul King, writer/director of the “Paddington” films, David Heyman, producer of “Harry Potter,” “Gravity,” “Fantastic Beasts” and “Paddington,” and producers Alexandra Derbyshire (the “Paddington” films, “Jurassic World: Dominion”) and Luke Kelly (“Roald Dahl’s The Witches”), comes an intoxicating mix of magic and music, mayhem and emotion, all told with fabulous heart and humor. Starring Timothée Chalamet in the title role, this irresistibly vivid and inventive big-screen spectacle will introduce audiences to a young Willy Wonka, chock-full of ideas and determined to change the world one delectable bite at a time—proving that the best things in life begin with a dream, and if you’re lucky enough to meet Willy Wonka, anything is possible.
Starring alongside Chalamet are Calah Lane (“The Day Shall Come”), Emmy and Peabody Award winner Keegan-Michael Key (“The Prom,” “Schmigadoon”), Paterson Joseph (“Vigil,” “Noughts + Crosses”), Matt Lucas (“Paddington,” “Little Britain”), Mathew Baynton (“The Wrong Mans,” “Ghosts”), Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins (“The Shape of Water,” the “Paddington” films, “Spencer”), Rowan Atkinson (the “Johnny English” and “Mr. Bean” films, “Love Actually”), Jim Carter (“Downton Abbey”), with Oscar winner Olivia Colman (“The Favourite,” “The Lost Daughter”) and Hugh Grant (“Paddington 2,” “A Very English Scandal”).
Simon Farnaby (“Paddington 2”) & Paul King wrote the screenplay, based on a story by King and characters created by Roald Dahl. Michael Siegel, Cate Adams, Rosie Alison, and Tim Wellspring are serving as executive producers. King’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography Chung-Hoon Chung (“Last Night in Soho,” “Ah-ga-ssi”); Oscar-nominated production designer Nathan Crowley (“Tenet,” “Dunkirk”); editor Mark Everson (the “Paddington” films); Oscar-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming (the “Paddington” films, “Topsy-Turvy”); and composer Joby Talbot (the “Sing” films). Neil Hannon of the band The Divine Comedy is writing original songs for the film.
Collin’s review:
Going into the movie, I wasn’t excited. Without having seen the Original “Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory” since I was very young. I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know it was a musical until right before we left for the theater. Now it’s not very often that a movie catches me right from the first scene but “Wonka” did. It was the delightful adventurous tone that got me. Throughout the whole movie, it kept that theme.
It’s delightful. The music is imaginative and gets stuck in your head. The acting was superb. Timothée Chalamet was the perfect Willy Wonka and now he is my Wonka. Calah Lane as Noodle is the heart of the movie. She tugs at your emotional strings. Paterson Joseph’s Slugworth was a great villain. You find yourself rooting against him and the rest of his group of baddies the entire way. I would give this a solid 4 out of 5 stars. It’s fun. The whole movie feels like a hat full of dreams.
Holly’s review:
I was excited to see this from the first trailer. Gene Wilder’s “Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory” was a favorite when I was growing up so I was so happy that Collin wanted to join me in seeing this. I was just hoping that it did not disappoint. Boy did it make me happy. The imagery and cinematography had the same feel as the original. The magic was not lost. This was fun and whimsical with still having a dark side. Yes, the “Chocolate Cartel” was comical but the undertone of the movie was a repeated line from the movie “The Greedy Beat The Needy.”
Willy is down on his luck and ends up in a workhouse where he meets Noodle and the rest of the workhouse gang at Mrs. Scrubitt’s, who is brilliantly portrayed by Olivia Coleman. I found myself happy, sad, angry, and nostalgic. I would give this movie musical a 4.5 out of 5 stars.
There is just one complaint that I have. And no, it’s not Hugh Grant’s Oompa Loompa. I am disappointed that I find myself attached to Willy’s friends only to not ever see them again in the other films. I’d love to see Noodle again. Spoilers, I cried at the end when he finally got his shop and he sings, “Pure Imagination.” I recommend this film to anyone of any age. It’s a great family film.
Furthermore, I was so happy that we saw this at AMC theaters. We got the delightful Wonka top hat popcorn bucket. This bucket is quite large and deep. It was $15.99 plus tax. For a family that collects popcorn buckets, it was a great addition.
