At first this movie wasn’t one I was overly enthusiastic to see. I knew I’d watch it eventually, but I wasn’t running to the theater for it. After seeing it, I would say it was rather enjoyable. The character of Willy Wonka is an iconic one that most everyone would have background knowledge of whether it be from Roald Dahl’s original book, Gene Wilder’s portrayal in the 1971 film, or Johnny Depp’s portrayal in the 2005 film. This Wonka from Timothee Chalamet is now bringing the character to life for a new generation. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how Chalamet created Wonka for himself, pulling in pieces from both the previous renditions while adding his own charm to the mix. I’ve always been a fan of ‘origin stories’, so the concept of learning how Wonka became who we all know him to be was intriguing. We get to see him taking the leap of faith and expose people to his chocolates for the first time, while also seeing a bit of childhood and the inspiration for becoming a chocolatier. However, I wish there had been a bit more flashbacks of Willy on his travels that he brought up throughout the film. This movie was fun and full of great songs, loveable characters, and many heartwarming moments. At times it did feel a bit rushed and things were seemingly solved in an instant..but then you remember that it’s fantasy, and in fantasy a lot of things won’t always make sense or get explained. Overall, this movie was very good. All the characters were quirky and fit perfectly into the world created by Roald Dahl. The story made you want to escape reality for a little bit and give into a place of ‘pure imagination’.
Wonka
