Movie Review: ‘Wonka’

‘Paddington’ director Paul King here brings his trademark charm and creativity to what could have been an unnecessary addition to the story.

Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka in 'Wonka.' Photo by Eric Charbonneau.

In theaters on December 15th, ‘Wonka’ is the latest look at a character at a younger age, aiming to explain how Willy Wonka ended up running his wondrous candy factory, as seen in 1971’s ‘Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory’ and 2005’s ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’, both adapted from the work of British writer Roald Dahl.

Under director Paul King, it’s a musical origin story, featuring one of the most popular young actors and a cast loaded with comedy and dramatic talent.

Is ‘Wonka’ a sweet treat?

Timothee Chalamet at the London World Premiere of 'Wonka.'

Prequels can be a dicey proposition at the best of times. You’re often filling in details that no one really needed about characters whose backstories deserved to stay mysterious –– looking at you, ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’.

But in the hands of someone like Paul King, there is relief to be found in the fact that the movie justifies its existence through sheer ebullience and joy. Even if you’re still not convinced you needed to know how Willy became Wonka, you’ll at least have fun accompanying him on his journey.

Well, to be specific, he’s at the end of a journey when we first meet him here, coming off a years-long voyage where he gathered ingredients and perfected skills to achieve his dream to become a master chocolatier.

You know that it works out for him, but King and his cast ensure that you’ll still be invested in his early days.

‘Wonka’: script and direction

Director Paul King at the London World Premiere of 'Wonka.'

It’s been something of a banner year for adaptations of Roald Dahl’s work, between the Wes Anderson short films for Netflix (before it, the ‘Matilda’ musical movie) and now this wonderful effort.

King wrote the script for the new movie with Simon Farnaby (who has a small, typically funny role in the film), and he’s very much employing the imagination and sheer sense of warmth he brought to both ‘Paddington’ films and his earlier effort, ‘Bunny and the Bull’.

This is a smartly crafted story that, while it obviously touches on themes and ideas we’ve seen tackled before, does so in a way that doesn’t feel tired. Wonka has life lessons to share, a group of friends he recruits to help him and some scheming business enemies, but they all bear King and Farnaby’s funny, clever stamp. If not every role is as rounded as the title character, many of them have grace notes and quirks that work.

Taken from the page, ‘Wonka’ soars thanks to the careful attention to detail that King and his team apply to the movie’s world. Utilizing a mixture of sets and select locations in the UK such as the city of Bath and Oxford university to bring Wonka’s unspecified Euro mash-up setting to life, he evokes the feel of the 1971 ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’ –– more than the 2005 Tim Burton ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ –– and also calls back to the Rube Goldberg feel of ‘Paddington’ in its level of invention (there’s a scene featuring a particularly useful invention that has echoes of the Geographers’ Guild in the world of ‘Paddington’).

‘Wonka’ is a great looking –– and sounding –– movie, its musical aspect helping move the characters’ stories along rather than pausing them. If you wondered what King could do beyond the musical number that wraps up ‘Paddington 2’, then you’re in for a treat, and working with The Divine Comedy pop group founder Neil Hannon has led to some catchy tunes.

‘Wonka’: performances

Timothee Chalamet as Willy Wonka and Hugh Grant as an Oompa Loompa in Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures’ 'Wonka,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

(L to R) Timothee Chalamet as Willy Wonka and Hugh Grant as an Oompa Loompa in Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures’ 'Wonka,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Naturally, Timothée Chalamet is the focus here, breathing amusing, sweet life into eternal optimist Wonka, who nevertheless has his own emotional baggage (it probably won’t surprise you to learn it’s a driving force that Disney and Harry Potter have both utilized). But in the hands of the rising young star, who smiles more here than in a handful of the movies he’s been in recently), Willy Wonka is an engaging character to spend time with rather than being cloying.

There’s a definite hint of Gene Wilder’s Wonka here, and not just because of the use of classic song ‘Pure Imagination’ within both the score and in the movie itself (we won’t spoil how exactly). Chalamet’s take on the character has a similar blend of darkness and light, weighed here more towards the latter) and if you dial into his vibe, you’ll have a good time with him.

King has built a fine ensemble of actors, all offering either the winsome and the wacky, Calah Lane’s Noodle providing the former (cut with a healthy side of snark so she never becomes too cloying), and the majority of the cast of comedy heavyweights bringing the latter.

Calah Lane as Noodle and Timothee Chalamet as Willy Wonka in Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures’ 'Wonka,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

(L to R) Calah Lane as Noodle and Timothee Chalamet as Willy Wonka in Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures’ 'Wonka,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Olivia Colman does a lot with a relatively small role as manipulative boarding house/laundry owner Mrs. Scrubbit, ably assisted by Tom Davis as Mr. Bleacher, her hulking would-be paramour.

On the friendlier front, we have the likes of Jim Carter, Natasha Rothwell, Rich Fulcher and Rakhee Thakrar as the unwitting victims of Mrs. Scrubbit’s calculating ways, while back on the villainous side, we have Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas and Mathew Baynton have a blast as Wonka’s chocolate-making competition.

Keegan-Michael Key meanwhile generates plenty of laughs as the corrupt local police chief with a seriously sweet tooth. Finally, there’s Hugh Grant, knocking the role of a Grumpy Oompa Loompa out of the park and stealing any scene he’s in.

‘Wonka’: final thoughts

Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka in Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures’ 'Wonka,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jaap Buittendijk. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Does ‘Wonka’ outstrip ‘Paddington’ for charm and appeal? No, not really. But then, the weapons-grade level of positivity pouring from the Peruvian bear is hard to top.

Still, Paul King delivers a sweet, funny musical confection here that will enthrall families and leave audiences with a level of fulfillment you rarely get outside of a satisfying candy bar.

‘Wonka’ receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.

Wonka

"Every good thing in this world started with a dream."

PG1 hr 57 minDec 15th, 2023

Showtimes & Tickets

Watch Wonka Online

What’s the story of ‘Wonka’?

‘Wonka’ tells the story of how the world’s greatest inventor, magician and chocolate-maker became the beloved Willy Wonka we know today.

The movie will introduce audiences to a young Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet), chock-full of ideas and determined to change the world one delectable bite at a time — proving that the best things in life begin with a dream, and if you’re lucky enough to meet Willy Wonka, anything is possible…

Who else is in ‘Wonka’?

Alongside Chalamet, the cast includes Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, Mathew Baynton, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Jim Carter, Olivia Colman and Hugh Grant.