Movie 33 - Wonka (2023), Dir. Paul King.
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The movie follows a young Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet) as he ventures to change the world with his eccentric and tasty chocolate.
This movie was an absolute delight to watch.
When I heard about the movie, I didn't have any hopes for it because remakes have not been doing well lately as they end up being woke or just plain trash. But it all changed when I saw the first sequence of the movie. The sequence is Willy Wonka dancing and singing as he arrives at Galeries Gourmet. The enthusiasm is visible on Timothée Chalamet's face and felt genuine, that's when I knew this was gonna be a good movie.
The opening sequence of him conversing into song and dance perfectly set the tone for the movie. The way he sings his current situation is catchy and fun. I related to the part where the second he steps into the city, he starts spending money and is going broke. Every time I step outside my house, I too end up spending too much money. Sometimes I treat Google Pay as if Google is paying lol.
The main characters like Noodle (Calah Lane), the friends he makes when he is sent to the washer, and the chocolate cartel trio are given good screen time and have the ability for the viewer to connect with them. I giggled when I saw a parody Hitler (played by Matt Lucas) being one of the members of the chocolate mafia.
This version of Wonka is unique and very good at the same time. Unlike Johnny Depp's version who was also a complex and good character but less friendly and a person who does not have an emotional attachment to anyone but chocolate. Johnny Depp's version is one that has been through a lot, The daddy issues and the choosing to not have an emotional attachment to anyone makes him a curious character as you think what happened to him. His give no f*ck and just business attitude is unique and supprisingly not annoying
Chalamet's Wonka is full of joy and sheer determination. He is kind and nice to everyone which is quite wholesome. It is a genuine delight to see him be kind to everyone even when the world is against him.
When Noodle told him she had never had chocolate, Wonka's reaction was not of entitled disgust but more of wanting her to have chocolate because he really loves chocolate and wants everyone to have it too. He was so kind and made her an out-of-this-world chocolate and also promised a lifetime supply. This scene was so sweet and I believe it fits perfectly for Wonka's character.
There is a perfect amount of quirky and genius that makes his character development good and the amount of it is a lot.
Every character was an absolute delight to watch. Olivia Coleman was brilliant. Rowan Atkinson is always a delight to watch. Keegan Michael-Key who in every scene he turns up becomes more fat from eating all the chocolate is absolutely hilarious.
Every time Wonka is trying to tell the others about the Oompa Loompa and them just staring at him with a look of confusion but also a look of he might be telling the truth was very good. Even the Oompa Loompa storyline was well thought out and it was fun to see it too break into song and dance
The overall story is solid, and I see no plot holes so far. The characters are very interesting and each has a distinct personality. They often break into song and dance which makes this more like a musical but it helps keep the tone light and enjoyable and is also an interesting method of telling a story. I really do hope we can see more of this Wonka. The ending of him sharing the chocolate his mother had made him with his friends and the nod to the golden ticket was very sweet gesture and truly shows what kind of a person Wonka is.
The movie is a must-watch i had nothing but fun watching it and does nothing but brings more complexity to the character of Willy Wonka. 10/10
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