Genre: Adventure, comedy, family, musical
Wonka is an unnecessary musical remake with incomplete details, mediocre songs, and a plot that makes little sense, despite a high budget and a star-studded cast.
The film is advised to be enjoyed with a suspended belief and an objective mindset, distancing it from previous adaptations of Willy Wonka’s character.
Willy Wonka (played by Timothée Chalamet) arrives in Europe to open his chocolate shop. After a series of mishaps, Wonka finds himself at the mercy of two scammers.
He meets Noodle (played by Calah Lane) and the rest of the crew who come to help Wonka make his chocolate dreams come true, all while evading the traps of the chocolate cartel.
While the premise itself seems simple enough, the story has many plot points that make little sense. The multiple songs are mediocre and none of the vocal performances are worth much praise.
Even Chalamet’s singing and acting portrayal of the eccentric and over the top character of Wonka feels out of place.
The cast included multiple A-List actors like Rowan Atkinson, Olivia Colman, Keegan-Michael key and Hugh Grant, whose portrayal of an Oompa Loompa was the only decent acting in the film.
What the film lacked in plot, it tried to make up for in the cinematography which was colourful and pleasurable.
There are too many instances in the film that force one to think of Johnny Depp and Gene Wilder’s previous portrayals of Wonka.
The best thing would be to forget the book and the previous movies and enjoy Wonka for what it is; a colorful musical story about a man who makes magical chocolates.
Wonka is available for streaming on HBO Max.
