Wonka Review

One of the standout points about this film is the fact that it is a musical. The other films with Willy Wonka had musical numbers, but they weren’t musicals. The music in this movie also distinguishes it from its predecessors.  

I don’t think I can name more than 2 songs in the original film with Gene Wilder, and I could not name any songs in the Johnny Depp film. They just are not memorable enough to remember due to them being closer to rock songs than musical theatre songs. This film starts out with a fantastic musical number that showcases Chalamet’s singing voice. 

The musical numbers just get better as the film progresses, with each one getting catchier and more memorable as it goes on. I enjoyed all the songs, my personal favorite is "World of Your Own", but it was very difficult to choose my favorite. 

The film really gains the charm of the pastmovies about 20 minutes into it, and it doesn’t drop that charm. Olivia Coleman, who plays Mrs. Scrubitt, is a great villain despite beinga minor antagonist to Wonka and his friends. 

The candy in the old movies were always fun and a lot of them are memorable, but this film focuses on making chocolates fun and creative, from ones that helps you grow hair to ones that makes you experience a night out on the town without actually going out.The film does a great job at making you wish they were real so you could try them. 

If you saw any of the trailers for Wonka, then you would know that Rowan Atkinson, famous for portraying Mr. Bean, and comedian Keegan Micheal Key are both in this film. Both are as funny as you would expect them to be, playing the priest of the church and the police chief respectively and are the shining beacons in an already amazing cast of characters. 

The three main villains of the film, or the chocolate cartel as they are referred to, are well cast, Paterson Joseph plays Slughorn and he plays him with such malice that Slughorn becomes a great villain. His lackeys are played by Matt Lucas, who portrays Prodnose, and Matthew Baynton, who portrays Ficklegruber. The villains are good villains that can be scary at times due to their motivations but they have some funny lines of dialogue and exchanges between each other that it humanizes them a little. 

As would be expected of a Wonka film, the Oompa Loompa should a great part of the film. It is just a shame that Hugh Grant is the Oompa Loompa does not do all that great of a job in the role. 

This film is a prequel to the Gene Wilder Wonka movie but at the same time does not feel like it and is also not your typical Wonka film. This works in its favor because it allows it to stand on its own and not rely on the other film. This film was made more for kids to watch and enjoy, whereas the other films, with their mature themes, were geared toward adults. 

The last song of the film, Pure Imagination, is a must-have for this film. As the most iconic song from the original, there was a lot of pressure to make this version as good, if not better. Compared to its earlier version, this one is slower,which allows for Chalamet to sing it in a beautiful way. 

I would suggest staying for at least the first minutes of the creditsit because there is something for viewersto enjoy. 

Overall, Wonka is a great film for the family to enjoy that has call backs to the original film, but does not rely entirelyon it to work. The film is able to stand on its own and has some great comedy moments in it while also being cute and fun for young kids to watch. 

You can watch Wonka in some theaters but it is also available on both Apple TV and Prime Video.