Paul King’s newest venture “Wonka” tells the tale of Willy Wonka’s (Timothée Chalamet) never-before-seen origin story. The chocolatier collects a ragtag group of friends to help him overcome the chocolate cartel in the square where he wishes to set up shop.
After the success of his two previous films, “Paddington” and “Paddington 2,” director Paul King clearly has a knack for whimsical, wholesome family movies. With this latest project, King incorporates everything that works from the aforementioned projects — bright colors and a large cast of likable characters — into “Wonka.” All of these elements allow this film to stand firmly on its own two feet, separate from the other “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” properties.
The film’s music, specifically the songs by Neil Hammon, stand out as one of its strongest features. The musical moments prove jaunty and danceable, not to mention incredibly catchy. The choreography throughout the film takes the songs to another level — when a character bursts into song joined by a team of backup dancers that fill up the screen, these moments feel monumental and joyfully effective. Standout songs include “Scrub Scrub” and “You’ve Never Had Chocolate Like This.”
Ever since photos of Chalamet in costume on the “Wonka” set surfaced two years ago, audiences have been anticipating his performance. When asked about how the other Wonka portrayals informed his approach to the character, Chalamet said even though this film serves as a companion piece to the Gene Wilder film, he prioritized doing his own thing.
“I watched (the Gene Wilder version) before (filming), but once I started getting going, I tried to leave it behind,” Chalamet said to The Texan in a roundtable interview. “It’s an impossible performance and film to live up to because it’s so beloved, rightfully.”
The film’s weakest element comes from its CGI. Some instances, like the floating chocolates, don’t look jarringly bad but large-scale uses can be hard for audiences to forgive. Specifically, when the film shows Hugh Grant as an Oompa Loompa, it looks far too computerized. Additionally, the reveal of the factory at the film’s end depends too heavily on a digitized rendering, which takes away from the impact seeing the factory for the first time should have. The film offers up plenty of practical sets and props, and these instances feel much more enjoyable compared to when it relies too heavily on green screen.
While the film offers up some questionable CGI, Paul King delivers another solid and wholesome movie, perfect for a family holiday trip to the theater. Timothée Chalamet, Keegan-Michael Key and a wonderful cast of supporting actors revived Willy Wonka’s story with care and love, perfect for a watch this, and any, holiday season.
3 giraffes named Abigail out of 5
