THE FILM
TITLE: Wonka
RELEASE DATE: 15 Dec 2024
WATCH DATE: 03 Mar 2024
TYPE: live-action feature film
ACCESS: streaming on Amazon Prime
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THE PEOPLE
DIRECTOR: Paul King
PRODUCER: David Heyman, Alexandra Ferguson, Luke Kelly
WRITER: Paul King, Simon Farnaby
ACTORS: Timothée Chalamet, Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Hugh Grant, Paterson Joseph, Olivia Colman, Tom Davis, Jim Carter, Rowan Atkinson
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THE STORY
RUNTIME: 1h 56m
STORYLINE: a young Willy Wonka arrives in the city with a big dream and little money, but finds kindness and friendship in new friends as he makes his dreams of becoming a chocolatier come true
GENRE/THEMES: drama, musical, fantasy, origin story,
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THE CRITIQUE
THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS
Wonka is a perfect, chocolatey blend of Annie, Les Miserables, and The Greatest Showman. This prequel to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory takes story themes and production elements from each of these great films, and is a sweet addition to this musical genre.
Timotee Chalamet's performance is fun, emotional, and simply magical. The timing of this film’s release (right before Dune: Part Two) displays his incredible range as an actor. Willy Wonka is such an innocent and charming soul, and Chalamet brings the young version of this character to life.
Wonka is a musical, and while the musical numbers move the story forward, the lyrics aren't as iconic. Most of the songs were lacking in memorability or ‘singability’ by fans, like most other successful musical films. They saved the one iconic song for last which was everything the film needed.
There isn't a lull throughout the whole film. The plot flows from one scene to the next through the intentional development of even the supporting characters. There are a few moments that feel a bit silly, or unrealistic, but that's to be expected with the magic and fantasy context of the story.
Wonka is a good musical, a great film, and a fantastic adventure for family night or even date night!
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THE RECEPTION
NOMINATIONS
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THE IMPRESSION
IN A SINGLE WORD: sweet 😉
MOST STRIKING ELEMENT: production design, Chalamet’s acting
REWATCH: yes!
RATING: 3.5 // 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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