Journey back to a time before the chocolate factory and meet a young Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet), a poor chocolate maker with aspirations of opening his own chocolate store. Paul King’s Wonka is an indirect prequel to the 1971’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory starring Gene Wilder, paying homage to the classic while creating an original narrative that stands on its own.
In attempting to recapture the timeless magic and wonder of the 1971 classic, Wonka does its best to tell a fun, adventure-filled narrative with flashy musical numbers along the way. Paul King’s storytelling style and vision lends itself to the property, and as such he’s done a fine job in emulating some of what makes Willy Wonka such a beloved, quirky character. The film’s success in achieving this doesn’t come easy, and it’s largely due to the sluggish, drawn-out pace of the opening half. The magic of the original is a result of its whimsical tone and punchy pacing – a pace that Wonka doesn’t reach until the midway point. The opening hour is a little too slow and dreary, which is contradictory to the “wonder” it’s trying to kickstart with its musical numbers. Wonka’s journey in these early moments is filled with trouble and turmoil, and although it might be essential for character growth, it doesn’t present a fun viewing experience. The plot beats get repetitive and the story progression is minimal, which really drags things down and makes the film feel longer than it is. One good thing to come out of this first hour is the relationship building between Wonka and the young Noodle (Calah Lane), but it’s such a thin silver lining that it doesn’t hold much weight.
After a big musical number that sits roughly at the midway point, things start to pick up. The pacing becomes a little more energised and the story gains more traction as it progresses towards its end goal. As a result, the elements of whimsical fun that were lacking become heightened and a sense of pure imagination kicks in. The musical numbers in this latter half are a little more upbeat, which lifts the mood a little. Like a fine wine, the film gets marginally better with age – it gets more settled into its tone and becomes an enjoyable watch. It never hits that level of being exceptional, but the climax is cute and fun which is all you can ask for. From the get-go, there’s a silliness to the comedy that’s largely a result of the over-exaggerated caricatures that populate the world. It’s very kid-friendly and overly silly, which didn’t work for me a lot of the time. There are instances where the quick-witted jokes garner a little chuckle, but it’s not enough to make the jokes memorable.
When the casting of Timothée Chalamet was announced, it seemed like the right fit for a Wonka-type character. Thankfully, he’s good in the role. He plays the character slightly more upbeat and zany than Wilder, but not as criminally unhinged as Johnny Depp. He does a great job in honouring the quirks that Gene Wilder injected into the role, while still making it his own. Being a younger version of the character, Chalamet is able to have fun with the portrayal and give him a more vibrant personality, which he does. I don’t think Chalamet is incredible, but he’s a solid lead that serves the film well. The same can’t be said for the villain characters – they’re insufferably silly and campy, and not enjoyable to watch. It has nothing to do with the performances, especially when you have Oscar-winner Olivia Colman in there, it just comes back to the writing. From the trio of greedy chocolatiers to the corrupt hotel owners, they’re all comically mustache-twirling bad guys, but to the point where it’ doesn’t work despite Paul King ‘s overkill.
On a more positive note, the film is very aesthetically pleasing. I feared it was going to go too fantastical and colourful to the point of being like visual vomit, but they rein it in and inly opt for the vibrant effects in big moments.
In the end, Wonka unfortunately isn’t anything to write home about. The opening half is too slow and dreary, lacking a sense of adventure or any real ‘wonder’. The latter half ups the pace to inject a little more whimsical fun into the narrative, so it’s not all doom and gloom. While not setting itself up to be a classic, it’s a fine family-friendly ride with a decent narrative and a couple of engaging lead characters to get behind. My biggest and best takeaway was all the easter eggs and references tying it to the 1971 classic. So if you’re a fan of the original, there’s at least that much to look forward to.
6.3/10
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