This tale of the zany Willy Wonka and the poor boy who gets the prize was one of my favourites growing up. Tim Burton has remained very true to Roald Dahl's book, retaining the darkly funny elements. Particularly hilarious are the Oompa-Loompa stage shows, updated for the modern age. However, Johnny Depp's attempt to fill Willy's platforms falls a little flat - he is by turns creepy, crabby and child-like, yet the character still seems one-dimensional (this is the first negative thing I have ever said about Depp and hopefully it will be the last). Perhaps it's just that when you love a book so much, expectations run too high - and when you're not a kid anymore, you lose some of that sense of wonder. This is essentially a child's movie and adults would do well to remember that.
- Rating: **½
