There's Chocolate, And There's Chocolate.
4 / 5
Directed by Paul King.
Willy Wonka is chock-full of ideas and determined to change the world one delectable bite at a time.
The latest of Hollywood's 'hidden musicals', Wonka combines the inventiveness of Roald Dahl's writing and the whimsy of the team behind Paddington to create a charming reimagining of the iconic chocolatier.
Timothée Chalamet leads the adventure with the energy and slightly manic glint in his eye that makes Wonka's spectacular creations feel so natural. Paired with toe-tapping songs that get under your skin with forced rhymes and catchy tunes, unless you despise musicals, it's hard to come out of the cinema without a smile on your face. I was surprised going in as despite seeing multiple trailers, I had not realised how much of a full-out musical this would be. But Hollywood's recent deception to get bums on seats is another article for another day.
Compared to the other recent Roald Dahl musical adaptation, Matilda, this did feel somewhat lacking. Throwing a large budget, colourful visuals and recognisable faces to distract from a skeleton of a story and songs that never quite hit the heights of Tim Minchin's lyrics. That being said, Wonka still ticks all the boxes to create a joyous and sickly sweet experience that will leave you feeling warm, hungry and whistling 'Pure Imagination' for the next few weeks.
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