Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

Tim Burton remaking the lovely and wicked children's story by Roald Dahl? What a treat! Or at least you would think so.

The narrator immediately makes me miss Patrick Stewart's epic epilogue to "The Nightmare before Christmas". This guy sounds like the American troll-version of Augustus Gloop while eating warm caramel by the handful. But I digress.

Let's start with a bit of good news. The actors are mostly well picked and Freddy Highmore is very good as Charlie Bucket. First barrier past. I've seen Depp better than here, but it's still hard to picture how they could have made Willy Wonka without him. Special mention to the outstanding David Kelly and Christopher Lee that makes an absolute nothing of a part into something most memorable. I will truly miss the latter when he passes. One of the true legends of his craft, with an almost omnipotent presence. I do wish Burton would stop casting his wife in every single film he makes though. She's not bad but has nowhere near the versatility of Depp and should leave room for better choices.

Burton is very good at creating the atmosphere of the little room with the Bucket-family in, an example being the tremendous suspense and disappointment over the opening of a simple candy-bar. A most beautiful scene altogether. Unfortunately, it's when the factory and Depp is supposed to take it away for the win that it all falls a bit to pieces. Granted, Burton's cinematography is stunning and there are some fun puns. But the story gets a bit lost and interest fades as the characters roam around in the Wonka's factory. Oh, and the Oompa Loompas suck. If you want a funny Oompa Loompa, try "Family guy". They had better lyrics too.

As always, it's Danny Elfman that scores when Burton directs. Elfman's intro-theme starts out well, but ends in a cascade of annoying sounds with some predictable drums and choral arrangements. It's "Planet of the Apes" mixed with the later installment "Alice in Wonderland". The songs are so far from the quality from "A Nightmare before Christmas" and the fine "Corpse Bride" that it's plain and simply sad. His best pieces are the sentimental ones in the first half, but they're not particularly creative, just effective.

As they leave the factory, the actors are allowed room to breathe and Elfman can stop the incessant drums and theremins. So it picks up again but the damage has been done. What should have been a triumph for Burton, turns into a bit of an overload where he at times forgets what has made this story a classic to begin with.

6/10