Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Gene Wilder's interpretation of "Willy Wonka" was always going to be tough to top, and though he does try to inject some individuality to the role, Johnny Depp doesn't really compare so well. Freddie Highmore does deliver quite well though as the eponymous "Charlie" who finds the elusive golden ticket and travels with his mischievous "Grandpa Joe" (David Kelly) to the factory where all of the delicious sweets are made. It's maybe best from here on in to discard your views of the 1971 version and look at this is a completely different re-imagining of the Roald Dahl story. We've already been introduced to his rather odious co-winners who exemplify all that's ghastly about precocious children spoiled and over-indulged by parents who either don't care, won't care - or want to live their lives vicariously through the would-be successes of their brats. Julia Winter probably taks the cake as the truly obnoxious "Veruca Salt" but Jordan Fry's "Mike Teevee" isn't too far behind. With Depp putting his heart and soul into his character, we incorporate some of Danny Elfman's more entertaining music into a journey of self discovery and millions of calories. It's a quickly paced, lively, enterprise with Tim Burton bringing his technicolour imagination alive for almost two hours. The most engaging effort has to come from Deep Roy who just oozes cheeky charisma as the Oompa-Loompa (well, quite a few of them) who does all the heavy lifting while the guy in the purple velvet takes the credit. It's enjoyable enough, just lacking in that something special.