Wonka (2023) Review 

This film has been in the making for a while now, but Wonka has finally come out and I have watched it so here is my review for the film. The premise of the film shows the origins of Willy Wonka as he looks to create a chocolate shop that will brighten up everybody's life. 

Main Character

Timothee Chalamet plays the titular character and he does a fantastic job in the role. You can just see that he is having a blast in the role and for a film like this it really helps having a protagonist that you care about and an actor that clearly cares about it. Without comparing him to previous incarnations of the character, I thought Chalamet was charming and charismatic as Willy Wonka. 

Supporting Characters

This cast is huge, which means I won't be able to go through everybody but I will say everybody seemed to have a blast here and it adds to the film. 

Calah Lane plays Noodle, a character that works with Wonka in order to try and achieve success together and she gives a really strong performance. The chemistry between her and Chalamet is really good and believable, it feels like two siblings working together and it is executed well. 

Paterson Joseph plays the villain Slugworth and I thought he was a fun villain. I mean he is over the top and ridiculous but he knows it and decides to make it more campy and cheesy but for this film it just works and he is a fun part of the film. 

Olivia Coleman & British Comedian Tom Davies plays some of the more minor villains but they are a highlight of the film and really do a great job of treating Noodle and Wonka poorly to make you sympathise for the protagonists. 

One of the highlights of the film was the performance of Keegan-Michael Key as the Police Chief. The guy is super funny and the way his character progresses throughout the film is the funniest gag for me and Key nails it. 

Lastly, even though its a smaller role Hugh Grant makes a pretty memorable performance as the Oompa Loompa. It was controversial casting and Grant himself wasn't overly happy with the role but I liked his character and the fact that he isn't in the film that much probably makes it better. 

Story

The story is okay, it does a good job in setting up the character of Willy Wonka and what we all imagine he will become as he gets older. It is a simple good vs bad and you care about the protagonists and dislike the antagonists so works for the family film it is. It does get a bit much towards the end of the film and slightly convoluted, it also takes a bit of time to wrap up the film when it could have been a little shorter. 

Script

The script has some pretty funny and heartfelt moments that fit the overall feel of the film and I was enjoying it. But it definitely has some weaker bits that look at the lowest common denominator of humour and some reveals at the end don't quite hit like the film wants it too. 

Style 

The film looks fantastic, it is incredibly colourful and vibrant which is really fitting for the character of Willy Wonka and the vibe of the film. One thing that I haven't mentioned is that this film is a musical with lots of singing. I found it a bit of a mixed bag, some good musical numbers but some not so great ones that won't be very memorable. 

Overall

Overall, Wonka is a good film that was definitely a fun watch. This is a great family film and I think young kids will enjoy watching Wonka for sure. 

Rating - 7/10