1971’s “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” is a film that doesn’t need to be remade, and the last time Hollywood tried it, it failed spectacularly (2005’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”). So I was naturally opposed to Paul King’s “Wonka,” when it was announced on concept alone.
However, King and the film’s star, Timothee Chalamet, who dons the mantle of the famous candy maker, prove that there is life in this story yet. “Wonka” serves as a prequel to the events of the Roald Dahl novel “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” with intentional visual connections to the 1971 movie adaption starring Gene Wilder. But it also exists as a unique take on the Willy Wonka character — the film tries to have its cake and eat it, too.
Chalamet plays a younger version of the titular character, as Wonka attempts to establish a chocolate shop in an unspecified time and place in Europe (France?) after traveling the world perfecting his candy recipes. However, he soon discovers that the city he’s picked is filled to the brim with corruption, which he learns the hard way after he gets tricked into being an indentured servant at a washroom under an inn run by Mrs. Scrubit (Olivia Colman).
Wonka’s chocolates amaze when he does get to show it to the crowds at The Galéries Gourmet (a square well-known for their chocolate shops), which threatens the three members of the Chocolate Cartel comprised of Felix Fickelgruber (Mathew Baynton), Gerald Prodnose (Matt Lucas) and Arthur Slugworth (Paterson Joseph). They are aided by the chief of police (Keegan-Michael Key), whom they bribe with a copious amount of chocolate, most of which is stored under a church run by chocolate-addicted and compliant priests led by Father Julius (Rowan Atkinson). It’s essentially a huge tank of off-the-books chocolate the three use to bribe city officials.
In the washroom, Wonka finds allies in Noodle (Calah Lane), a young girl who teaches him how to read and is looking for her parents; Abacus Crunch (Jim Carter), a former accountant for Slugworth; Piper Benz (Natasha Rothwell), a seamstress; Larry Chucklesworth (Rich Fulcher), a comedian who can breath under water; and Lottie Bell (Rakhee Thakrar) a former telephone switchboard operator. Other than Noodle, none of them have arcs exceeding their quest for freedom, but each contributes something unique to their newfound team, with Abacus in particular being an indispensable source of wisdom for Wonka.
All of them slowly develop an underground system from which Wonka can sell his candy, recognizing that he has an incredibly lucrative product the Cartel is trying to ban.
Meanwhile, an Oompa-Loompa named Lofty (Hugh Grant) has been tracking Wonka. The short orange man has been banned from Loompaland after Wonka was able to steal the last of their cocoa beans on Lofty’s watch, and can only return after he retrieves a disproportionate amount of chocolate. Despite how much Grant has publicly said he hated this role, his portrayal of the Oompa-Loompa is a dignified and capable one that completely ditches the notion that Wonka saved his people in the previous film adaptations. In fact, in the film the opposite is true: Lofty saves Wonka twice.
Chalamet is no Wilder and while his performance certainly emulates aspects of Wilder’s Wonka, he does not try to imitate him. He also in no way surpasses Wilder, but he doesn’t need to. Chalamet is simply good enough to effective execute the film’s whimsy, of which its script is oozing with.
This film is also a musical, and it’s actually to its favor. Neil Hannon, who wrote the film’s songs, fills “Wonka” with memorable tunes peppered with childish magic that somehow work despite the fact that Chalamet’s vocals are nothing special.
This is one of the best films of 2023 and is the best children’s film I’ve watched since “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.” It’s a wonderous and age-appropriate film for teens and young kids alike that illustrate pertinent lessons on the toll of corrupt systems, while managing to capture a spark of magic from Wilder’s classic.
“Wonka” gets a 9/10
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