 | |  |  | | Media: | HD DVD | | Country: | UK | | Studio: | Warner Home Video | | Cert: | PG | | Discs: | 1 |
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| Review Scores | | Movie |  | | Picture |  | | Sound |  | | Extras |  | | Overall | | | Review Verdict | | Perhaps to adult in nature to pass off as a kids film and perhaps not enough depth to engage the adults, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory sits in a kind of film limbo, a kind of sour sweet, if you will; one that needs an acquired taste. As an HD DVD package a splendid picture is let down slightly by the sound and a less than thrilling extras package but retains enough to be seen above the standard release. | | Overall score : 6 | | Movie | | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory | | Date | 2005 | | Genres | Comedy
Family
Adventure
Fantasy | | Director | | Tim Burton | | Stars | David Kelly
Freddie Highmore
Johnny Depp
Noah Taylor |
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Screen captures are for illustration purposes and may not originate from the item reviewed. | | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Review| HD DVD review written by Simon Crust, published 17th July 2007 | Supplied for review by  | One of my earliest school time memories is of being read stories on a Friday afternoon. This wonderful part of the day was filled with escapism serving as an introduction to literacy and the incredible worlds where it can take you. Amazing as it may seem one of my strongest memories is about a little boy who only had one bar of chocolate a year, on his birthday; the description of his opening it and making it last for weeks has stuck with me ever since. We were also read the sequel to this book, a book that has yet to make it to the big screen, unlike the original story that has now made it twice. I am, of course, referring to tonight’s feature Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Written by Roald Dahl the book remains a firm favourite and timeless classic. It tells the story of Charlie, an extremely poor child who is rich with the love of his family that manages to win a most special prize by simply being a nice boy. Dahl was extremely disappointed with the first film based on his work, principally with the look of the Oompa Loompa's and changing the squirrels to geese so he had the name changed to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Whilst he is no longer around his family are sure in the knowledge that he would have preferred this adaptation. So let’s unwrap shall we.
Burton takes John August’s screenplay, a screenplay that remains quite faithful to the book and adds his own touches of style. All the kids are there in their various guises of hideousness, weak willed parents, back in are the squirrels and Oompa Loompa's return to their original colour and flamboyancy, but there is one significant change; a change that refocuses the story somewhat. That of Willy Wonka himself, gone is the eccentricity to be replaced by neuroses. And a whole back story has been invented to explain away his love of chocolate and his desire to have the best in the world. Son of a dentist, banned from chocolates and abandoned at a young age no less. This aspect becomes a dominant strain of the film, when there is any mention of family Wonka reacts badly to it. Now, this family aspect is mirrored very nicely when juxtaposed with Charlie’s own. And, granted, it makes a nice bookend to the film; however such is the weighting placed here that it overshadows what should have been the films actual direction, that of Charlie and the other children. Personally I did not like this father/son aspect; its inclusion is unnecessary and extended the film beyond its natural ending.
This being a Burton film there are elements of horror scattered though out, from the burning of the puppets at the entrance to the cries of “Help me”, clearly taken from The Fly (1953) to the trapping of Veruca by the squirrels, rather reminiscent of the Evil Dead (1981) and the vines. Although most of these references will go over the heads of its intended audience there is a deal of ‘adult’ to this distinctly children’s film. Whilst the themes of family and togetherness, good parenting and behaviour are brought forward from the book and easily accessible, those that are more adult orientated add a different layer to the film. As such the two don’t meld quite as well as Wonka’s candy. It looses its fun aspect and only manages to scrape it together in the first Glass Elevator ride “Candy doesn’t have to make sense”. Even the candy room is lacking that sparkle, looking more like something from Hansel and Gretel than the wonder it is supposed to be. But then when the factory is run by a disturbed individual then the result is all to plain to see.
In the end the film manages to entertain even if its narrative is slightly skewed, certain element were lovely; for example the narrator whose voice is so reminiscent of the ‘Mr Kiplin ads’, Charlie’s refusal to accept the ticket putting his family first and Grandpa George’s speech to change his mind, the never ending corridors of the factory and their lunacy inventions. There is certainly much to see and, potentially, much to enjoy but with its un-gelled layers it leaves a bitter sweet taste that will repeat on you for days afterwards.
Movie score : 5 | | 743 word review written by Simon Crust. |  | To comment on this review, click here and post a reply.
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