REVIEW: ‘Wonka’ prequel has plenty of magic and whimsey

Everyone has to start somewhere, even great chocolatiers like Willard Wilbur Wonka.

The latest film to feature the candy-maker shows that start, with the character being portrayed by Timothée Chalamet. After having traveled the world to discover new flavors, a young Wonka arrives in a European port town known for its Galeries Gourmet district, where the world’s top candy stores are located.

Hoping to join the elite status, Wonka sets out to sell his chocolate in the area, but he soon learns that the other owners see him as a threat and are dead set on stopping his career. To make matters worse, he becomes majorly indebted to a pair of innkeepers. The silver lining, though, is the situation leads him to meeting others who are willing to help him with both problems.

“Wonka” is a truly fun family musical with an optimistic spirit and emotional connections between characters. The film begins with a hop and a skip by using a musical number to introduce this starry-eyed Wonka, who’s a dreamer more than an entrepreneur. 

It quickly puts an audience on the young chocolatier’s side and the film keeps up the melodic atmosphere through the rest of the picture for a whimsical experience. Director Paul King, who also co-wrote the film, created a film that is feel good, a bit goofy and explores the importance of helping others for the human condition.

It’s pulled off with a story featuring a scrappy Wonka who has to be crafty, rely on friends, and pull a few magic tricks out of his hat to succeed in his quest. His journey is one that creates entertainment, funny moments and emotional scenes. It’s also enhanced by the film’s songs.

One just wishes the film’s plot related to the main villains didn’t feel so drawn out. The movie is under two hours but the length of the movie starts to be felt as the main conflict seems to keep going when it could have been either resolved earlier or extended in a different way. As it is, it makes the movie starts to drag a bit.

The film keeps winning a viewer over, though, thanks to its delightful character moments and enjoyable songs. Part of what makes both work is the man at the center of the film himself, portrayed very well by Chalamet. It can be tricky playing a character that’s already been portrayed a couple different times by different actors, iconically so even.

However, Chalamet manages to make the character his own. There are moments where he is paying homage to Gene Wilder’s work, but Chalamet adds his own flair to the Wonka personality. His Wonka is a young man who has a positive outlook on the world and on people, and has a goal of sharing his chocolate to bring some happiness.

The character is a bit naive when it comes to that outlook, but as time goes on he comes to learn that most people are good at heart, while others need to be taught a lesson. In that sense, Chalamet sets up a Wonka who is similar to the ones audiences know, and also makes a good protagonist to root for in this film. Plus, he does so while being a good singer.

The supporting cast is enjoyable, too. Relative newcomer Calah Lane is good as Wonka’s young sidekick, acting veteran Jim Carter adds some gravitas as the eldest of Wonka’s ragtag team, and Hugh Grant is both wonderfully posh and completely blunt as Wonka’s first Oompa Loompa partner.

Paterson Joseph and Olivia Colman also make for good family film villains with some very hammy performances. Appearing only in flashbacks, Sally Hawkins is also enjoyable as Wonka’s loving, inspirational mom. Keegan-Michael Key seems kind of miscast as the chief of police, though, and the comedy around his character doesn’t land too well.

The costumes, make-up and special effects mostly work, though. The CGI is a bit spotty in a few places but for the most part the movie brings the magic to life and the early 1900s-looking era is recreated well enough. There’s a vibrancy with Wonka’s products and imagination, too, which contrast the more muted world around him, a sign of the color he’s trying to add.

It has some drawbacks but “Wonka” is a really good effort by director Paul King. The movie delivers a good time with a new look at a familiar figure. 4 out of 5.

Author: Matthew Liedke

Journalist and film critic in Minnesota. Graduate of Rainy River College and Minnesota State University in Moorhead. Outside of movies I also enjoy sports, craft beers and the occasional video game. View all posts by Matthew Liedke