The new release of Wonka on December 15, 2023 has certainly been controversial. Due to the numerous releases of this movie, questions arise as to whether this movie is as enthralling or magical as the other renditions, or if this movie is even truly necessary. Wonka is a prequel to the original Willy Wonka movies, focusing on the unique struggles of becoming the world’s most famous chocolatier.
The biggest draw to this movie was the main character, Timothée Chalamet. He has not starred in recent movies, leading to his fans missing him dearly. Hugh Grant, Rowan Atkinson, and Keegan-Michael Key are some of the other wonderful cast members in this movie. The music in this movie truly brought the plot to life. The most famous song, from the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, “Pure Imagination,” added a sense of nostalgia and magic to this film. Neil Hannon composed seven other songs that were included in this movie. Some of the most enjoyed songs were “A Hatful of Dreams” and “For A Moment.”
Ian Wuensch, senior, provides his perspective: “I really enjoyed Wonka, I felt that it brought a very magical and whimsical feeling to one of my all time favorite characters.” Getting to know and understand the main character seemed to be the most distinctive characteristic about this movie. A different perspective is given from Morgan Gourhan, sophomore: “I honestly thought it was a decent movie, I wasn’t expecting it to have so many songs and I was caught off guard by that.” The fresh spin of musical theater added a modern twist to this old fashioned film. It clearly created an entrancing effect on the viewers. Sebastian Colaizzi, senior, adds, “Honestly it wasn’t how I expected it to be. I couldn’t compare it to the first three; it was different.” All in all, the reviews for this new release are undoubtedly varied.
The importance of this film can certainly be questioned. Wuensch shares if this movie holds any value: “I understand there are many movies with Willy Wonka, but the story of Wonka (2023) is nothing that we have ever seen before. Being able to sympathize with Wonka as a young chocolatier was truly moving.” Being able to relate to fictional characters and understand their struggles unequivocally makes the movie more enjoyable to watch. Providing a backstory for Wonka was an aspect of this moving picture that Gourhan appreciated as well: “I don’t think the movie was necessary, but it was nice to give background to a character that was more of a mystery.” This film truly laid out why Wonka profoundly loved to give chocolate to children. In general, experiencing this movie was surely entertaining, yet not vital.
Based on the mixed reviews, whether this movie is amusing or not plainly depends on the person. The addition of new music caught people’s attention, making this film more intriguing. The insight the viewer gains about Wonka’s journey to success seems to be the most drawing feature of this movie.
