Wonka

Released in theaters on December 15, 2023

Currently only in theaters

Runtime: 1 Hour 56 Minutes

Rated PG

Oompa loompa doompety doo, I've got a origin story for you. Oompa loompa doompety dee, It seems linked to the original you’ll see.

Welcome to a world of pure imagination, where everyone’s favorite chocolatier gets his very own origin story!  After moving to the city to start his own candy store, Willy Wonka finds that everyone doesn’t have his best interests at heart. The music, style, and characters pay homage to the original, Gene Wilder movie leaving the Johnny Depp version floating down the river of chocolate.

Themes:

Chocolate, business, illiteracy, dreaming, following your dreams, trickery, thievery, con artists, kindness, friendship, greed, the poor, keeping promises, child abuse, magic, Oompa Loompas, overcoming odds, not giving up, corruption, and mothers.

Language:

There were two curse words, but unwell you are listening for them you might miss them.  A villain says, “d-mn the flamingos.”  The word “arse” is also used once that I caught.  There was one or two religious exclamations.

Stuff to be aware of:

Alcohol - There are several scenes in which characters drink alcoholic  beverages.  A minibar is referenced as a joke and there is a type of candy that curses the consumer with the effects of being drunk.  Wonka mentions the candy is like downing wine, champagne, whisky and port.  These candies are used to sneak past people while they are intoxicated.

Physical Harm - The little girl in the movie is abused by her caretakers.  She is locked in a coop for punishment and forced to do physical labor.  Some people burn down a chocolate store.  A corrupt police officer dunks a man’s head into an icy fountain before hitting him on the head and knocking him out.

Sexual Innuendo - A man and a woman wear matching silky robes, implying they have slept together.  One character tells a man, “if you want to make her sigh, show some thigh.”

An insect that is ingested with chocolate is said to “exit out your rear.”

Overall:

The candy man can! This origin tale does a great job paying homage to the original movie, the book, and the musical all while being unique in it’s own quirky and whimsical way. Timothee Chalamet does a great job with Wonka and the supporting cast are all fantastic and well used in the story. I found myself just as excited (and invested) to see what happens to Wonka’s friends and even the villains in the film.

It may not be as magical as the first time you experienced Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory as a child, but this movie is a melt in your mouth sweet treat. I can’t wait to watch it a second time.