Wonka: A Whimsical Adventure 🍬

Wonka (2023)

Running Time: 1h 56m

Age Rating: PG

Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Musical

My Rating: 🍫 🍫 🍫 💫

Since Roald Dahl’s books were a huge part of my childhood, I thought why not make some time for a date with ‘Wonka’. And I’m not gonna lie, part of me was curious to know what all the hype is about. Surprisingly, I ended up having a good time.

To be honest, I went to the cinema blind with zero expectations; all I knew was that ‘Wonka’ is the prequel to ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ with Timothee Chalamet playing the role of Willy Wonka. I had no idea it was even a musical movie, and I wish I had known.

The movie unexpectedly starts off with Willy Wonka singing joyfully on a ship, and I gotta admit I wasn't paying so much attention to what he was singing. I guess I wasn’t so ready for the series of songs coming ahead. Then we see Willy arrives at the prestigious Galeries Gourmet to pursue his dream of opening his very own chocolate store. 

However, life has a funny way of throwing obstacles in our path. Willy's meager savings quickly dwindle, and he finds himself at the mercy of Mrs. Scrubitt's boarding house, thanks to her henchman Bleacher. Ignoring the warnings of a girl named Noodle, Willy is coerced by Mrs. Scrubitt into signing a contract with dubious fine print. 

To repay his debts, Willy introduces his marvelous creation, the "hoverchocs", to the people of Galeries Gourmet. But instead of applause and admiration, he is met with ridicule and scorn from three rival chocolatiers, including Arthur Slugworth who feels so threatened by Willy and calls the Chief of Police to confiscate his hard-earned earnings.

Unable to meet the exorbitant fees demanded by the contract, Willy and a group of fellow captives, including Noodle, are forced to work in a launderette run by Mrs. Scrubitt. It is within these walls that Willy uncovers an evil plot concocted by the rival chocolatiers, who call themselves the "Chocolate Cartel." So, will Wonka be able to outwit the evil trio and pursue his own dreams? Well, my lips are sealed!

The plot is fine, showing a pure and innocent version of Willy Wonka. The storyline is concise and intriguing, and I didn’t doze off during the movie…well, except for those random songs that keep popping up out of nowhere. I was also waiting throughout the film for a bit of magic, but it’s alright.

The friendship between Willy and Noodle is really cute; they’re the kind of friends you wish you had in real life. And for sure, this film had some hilarious moments. Mrs. Scrubitt and Bleacher had me cracking up, and let’s not forget the Chief of Police, played by Keegan-Micheal Key; that guy was absolutely one of the funniest characters in the movie.

Now, when it comes to acting, I think everyone did a terrific job. However, Timothee Chalamet was somehow exaggerating in some scenes. Don’t get me wrong, he was fine, but I think he was too excited for the role that some scenes turned out extra; perhaps he needed to tone it down a bit. Maybe it's just me who felt that way. But all I’m sure of is that he’s my least favorite Willy Wonka; his performance wasn’t magical enough to convince me. 

To be fair, Lofty, the Oompa-Loompa, was the one who stole the show for me. I absolutely adored Hugh Grant in this movie, he nailed it. I wish we had more of him in ‘Wonka’; unfortunately, we didn’t. 

As for the ending, it wasn’t so perfect, to be honest. I found it a bit messy because everything went so smoothly as Willy planned. I don’t know but the cliché vibes were in the air with this ending. You know, when the main character has everything going in their favor no matter what, but it’s okay… And guess what? The film ends with a musical scene. What a surprise!

I really enjoyed the movie, but the musical numbers failed to impress me, and I didn’t care less for them. I don’t know why, but maybe cause musical films aren’t my cup of tea. Unfortunately, there were too many of them in the film, and I personally find them unnecessary.

All in all, Wonka is a sweet and fun film; however, it is a little polished and misses out on a bit of magic and the dark themes Roald Dahl’s work is known for. If it weren’t for all these musical scenes, I’d have enjoyed it more. Anyway, it’s still worth a watch.