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Wonka (2023)

 


Wonka is a prequel and nostalgia bait to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 

Written and directed by Paddington's Paul King, who has been downhill since Space Force and The Outsiders. The film really lacks any sort of flair as everything seems so bland and boring. It appears to me that the translation from animated bear to this has seen some trouble. King doesn't know who his audience is: is it kids, adults, or both? If it's kids why is the film so dark and gloomy in the beginning? If it's adults why are the characters so simplistic and the humor so childish?

Timothée Chalamet plays Wonka and from my first impression, he is the worst Wonka we've had. He has to carry every scene that Calah Lane is in who seems so distant from what she's doing. Child actors can really be a hit-or-miss type of situation. Lane was a huge disappointment here. 

Wonka has a bit of a problem in that the music is annoying and not really catchy either. Also, some of the casting choices were really bizarre. It's almost as if they picked the people not based off of skill or merit except for a few. 

I'll never willingly watch this film again and wouldn't recommend it to anyone even musical enthusiasts. The only saving grace is the charm of Timothée Chalamet and Kegan-Michael Key. Result: C-

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