WONKA Reviewed by GREG KING
Director: Paul King
Stars: Timothee Chalamet, Olivia Colman, Rowan Atkinson, Hugh Grant, Calah Lane, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, Mathew Baynton, Keegan-Michael Key, Jim Carter, Rakhee Thakar, Natasha Rothwell, Rich Fulcher, Sally Hawkins.
Timothee Chalamet steps into the shoes of Willy Wonka, the master chocolatier created by author Roald Dahl in 1964 and previously played on screen by Gene Wilder in 1971’s Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory and Johnny Depp in 2005’s Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. Wonka is both a prequel and an origin story set many years before Dahl’s story and is a crowd pleaser sure to entertain family audiences.
We meet a younger, more optimistic and naïve Willy who has been taught the art of making chocolates by his late mother (Sally Hawkins, appearing in flashbacks). He arrives in town after seven years spent at sea visiting all manner of exotic places and honing his magical and delicious chocolate recipes with ingredients he stores in his hat. He hopes to open his own chocolate shop in the famed Galeries Gourmet. However, his ambitions are thwarted by the corrupt chocolate cartel, a triumvirate of powerful chocolatiers who conspire to crush any competition. The cartel consists of the wonderfully named Slugworth (Paterson Joseph), Prodnose (Matt Lucas) and Ficklegruber (Mathew Baynton), who work in league with the corrupt police chief (Keegan-Michael Key) and local priest Father Julian (Rowan Atkinson) and 500 chocoholic priests.
Making matters worse for young Wonka though is that he has also been tricked into indentured servitude by the conniving Mrs Scrubbit (Olivia Colman) and her henchman Bleacher (Tom Davis), who have trapped several people into working in her underground laundry. He finds himself toiling away next to some eccentric characters who are virtual prisoners in her house until they pay off their substantial debt. Like them Wonka was tricked into signing a lease for accommodation with Mrs Scrubbit believing that he could easily afford the one sovereign per night only to find that he has been hoodwinked into actually paying more through the small print (which he couldn’t read).
But with the help of orphan girl Noodle (Calah Lane) Willy is able to figure out a way to sneak out of the house and try to sell his chocolates in the town square. He also receives some (reluctant) assistance from a mischievous little orange man (Hugh Grant), known as an Oompa Loompa.
Wonka is directed by Paul King, who has proved himself to be a fine purveyor of family-friendly entertainment through his two Paddington films. He co-wrote this origin story with Simon Farnaby (with whom he previously collaborated with on Paddington 2), and they reimagine Dahl’s character for a new audience who are probably unfamiliar with the previous films. King maintains a suitably light touch throughout, although there are some darker moments here that echo Tim Burton and Charles Dickens, especially those scenes set in Mrs Scrubbit’s basement laundry.
Wonka is a musical of sorts featuring some energetic and wonderfully choreographed song and dance routines. The songs have been composed by Neil Hannon, from British group The Divine Comedy. However, a couple of them are a little bland and unmemorable, and there is nothing here to match the hit The Candy Man from the 1971 film, which was subsequently covered by Sammy Davis jr in 1972. There is also a reprise of Pure Imagination, which was written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley for the 1971 film.
Following a few darker roles in films like Beautiful Boy and the cannibal romance Bones And All, the fresh faced and endearing Chalamet is a fine fit for this younger incarnation of Willy Wonka. He has plenty of charm to carry off the role, bringing a mix of naivety, optimism and upbeat energy to his performance. He also throws in some subtle nods to Wilder’s iconic portrayal. His interpretation of the character lacks the bitter edge that both Wilder and Depp brought to the character. And he acquits himself well during the song and dance numbers.
Colman is superb and hams it up wonderfully as the fearsome Mrs Scrubbit. Grant has had a couple of great years with his roles in Paddington 2 and a couple of Guy Ritchie’s action films of late, and here he has fun stealing scenes as the diminutive and supercilious Oompa Loompa. His character has been augmented through plenty of digital effects. Rowan Atkinson is fine as the venal priest, but I would have likes to have seen more of his character. And a fine ensemble supporting cast including Jim Carter (from Downton Abbey, etc), Rakhee Thakar, Natasha Rothwell and Rich Fulcher flesh out the other inmates of Scrubbit’s laundry.
This whimsical film features plenty of colourful costumes courtesy of Lindy Hemmings, while Nathan Crowley’s handsome production design is both colourful and imaginative. The superb cinematography from Chung-hoon Chuang further enhances the distinctive visual palette. Wonka serves up a rich treat and its sugar coated colour palette is sure to prove a hit with younger audiences over the holiday season.
★★★☆
