'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' lacks wonder, warmth
by Eleanor Ringel Gillespie

Johnny Depp can do anything, it seems, from the mock-heroic Captain Jack Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean" to a mincing, angora sweater-addicted movie director in "Ed Wood." Anything, that is, except be a better Willy Wonka than Gene Wilder. Read the full review

TO SUM UP
Eccentric chocolate maker Willy Wonka announces that he will reveal the secrets of his famous factory to five lucky children who find golden tickets hidden in five randomly selected Wonka chocolate bars. Nothing would make Charlie Bucket's family happier than to see him win, but the odds are very much against him: They can only afford to buy him one chocolate bar a year — for his birthday.

FILM FACTS ...
Warner Brothers Pictures
'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'

Director: Tim Burton
Starring: Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, David Kelly, Helena Bonham Carter, Deep Roy
Run time: 106 minutes
Release date: July 15, 2005
Rating: PG for quirky situations, action and mild language.
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On the web
Official movie site
View the trailer
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READ THE REVIEW

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: B-
"You wanted Wilder's Wonka to give you a final hug. You want Depp's to put on surgical gloves before he makes a move toward you."

Austin American-Statesman: 2 of 5 stars
"You can't shake the fatal sense of having seen this all before in a sprightlier, fresher film that's 34 years old."

Dayton Daily News: B-
"For all its imaginative visuals and droll humor, the colorful fantasy seems a bit peculiar and detached."

The Palm Beach Post: A-
"There is no denying the virtuosity of Depp's controlled, crafty performance. "


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