Review of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) by Anthony G — 21 Feb 2016

'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' is a wonderful adaptation of the classic story that the world has come to love, yet it suffers one fatal flaw - it came second. Cursed to be forever compared with its predecessor, 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' will never be truly seen for the gem that it is.

Tim Burton's signature style doesn't fail to impress applied to the original dark source material, where 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory' didn't quite capture the darkness. Also, the addition of Willy Wonka's backstory was an ingenious idea which I greatly appreciated, and it helped to make the story that bit more believable!

The modernising of the children was expertly done, and it helps to emphasise the moral of the story, as well as highlight the problems with modern children, and the importance of punishment for bad children.

The songs are quirky and catchy and suit the story very well; it's also interesting to note that Roald Dahl wrote the lyrics unlike the monotonous Oompa Loompa songs of 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory'. The set design is captivating; and with technology advancing so fast, it's impressive that after over ten years, 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' still manages to look futuristic. The costumes are designed to an impeccable standard, and the acting is remarkable as expected from such a capable cast. Also, just to add, claims that Johnny Depp is acting like Michael Jackson - they are nonsense!

Despite battling the nostalgia of lovers of the first adaptation, 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' is able to stand out and surpass the magic created the in the first film (although not to the extent it deserves due to being the subsequent version). Those who grew up with the first film may find it hard to convert, but all in all this is a film worth watching that will definitely not disappoint - a credit to Roald Dahl!