Willy Wonka has made an astonishing return to theaters in the new Wonka movie, which premiered on Dec. 15. The musical fantasy film closely resembles a Broadway show and stars rising actor Timothée Chalamet as the one and only chocolatier.
Wonka’s ultimate dream is to run his own chocolate factory. Along the way to realizing this dream, he overcomes many battles, including being kept hostage, which disables him from doing the one thing he loves most: making chocolate. Wonka also fights a mental battle regarding the death of his mother. As he attempts to pursue his dreams, he often remembers the promise his mother once gave him: she will be by his side when he opens the best chocolate factory in the world.
The Chocolate Cartel (a prominent group of corrupt chocolate makers) relentlessly attempts to kill Wonka. His objective in the final battle is to free the other hostages. Through these obstacles, Wonka searches for the optimum level of positivity. This movie, as opposed to the older ones, is rousing and relatable to many people. On social media, people expected this movie to be disastrous. However, many people, including myself, walked away stunned.
Many remakes today are repetitive, monotonous, and meaningless. This movie, however, is intriguing, detailed, and purposeful, making it worthwhile to watch. The scenes contain action, imaginative decorations, and enhanced personalities, which keep the audience eager for the next scene throughout the entire movie.
Many people failed to note small, meaningful parts of the movie. One of the leading characters, Noodle (Calah Lawn), feels hopeless, as she is kept hostage and does not know her biological parents. Viewers who have not found their parents or even feel distant from their parents can empathize with this character.
When Wonka takes Noodle to the zoo, Noodle is confused as to why the flamingos are unable to fly. Wonka tells her that they just have not thought of it yet. Soon after, Wonka says a heartwarming line: “That’s the thing about flamingos; they need someone to show them the way.” This message correlates to what Noodle needs—someone to help her find her way to happiness.
An additional detail in the movie that may go unnoticed are the signs in the Gourmet Gallery and Wonka’s chocolate factory. In the Gourmet Gallery, Wonka daydreams about his own store and the impact his chocolate will have on people. His daydreams quickly come to a halt when a police officer tells him to read the sign on the door, which says, “Three dollars for daydreaming.” At the end of the movie, when Wonka acquires his own factory, a sign at the front entrance reads, “Daydreaming is free.” This scene was meant to be humorous, but it also portrays his optimism in making dreams come true.
Wonka is unquestionably worth watching. Its balance of humor, sentimentality, and liveliness make it a phenomenal movie. Another reason to see this movie is the singing and dancing; the song lyrics and choreography were very well-coordinated and synchronized. Wonka promotes imagination, positivity, and persistence and is the kind of movie one will not tire of. It is now one of my favorite films and the best I have seen in an exceedingly long time.
