| Film and DVD Reviews FILM REVIEW
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
By Amanda Diamond
It has all you would expect — an eccentric Willy Wonka, miniature Oompa
Loompas, a chocolate waterfall and of course the beastly children.
But something still seems to be amiss.
Although Tim Burton in his adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
has stuck extremely close to Roald Dahl’s original, his reading of Willy
Wonka fails spectacularly in the face of what is otherwise a successful
movie.
Johnny Depp in the lead role plays Wonka as a disturbed adult with unusual
childlike qualities.
His high-pitched voice and hiccup-laugh are distracting rather than engaging
making him less a figure of inspiration and more a figure of curiosity.
There are however moments of real genius like when Wonka ridicules the
children with an ascorbic jibe or with a look that could cut through metal.
But Depp’s erratic, childish Wonka tends to irritate rather than endear.
Much more effective as the enigmatic chocolatier was Gene Wilder’s debonair
Wonka in the 1971 original.
Another disappointing aspect are the Oompa Loompas.
There is little to endear them to the audience and their disco dancing,
far from being tongue-in cheek is simply embarrassing.
But despite the irritating Wonka and the ridiculous Oompa Loompas the
film still delights.
Some of the special effects are awe-inspiring — like the journey in the
glass elevator and the squirrel scene.
But the success of the movie is also in part due to the efforts of Freddie
Highmore as Charlie Bucket and David Kelly as Grandpa Joe and indeed the
children as a whole.
Far from loving Charlie and the Chocolate Factory it is still very difficult
to hate it.
And although it is not without its faults it is definitely worth a look.
Starring Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, Annasophia Robb, Christopher
Lee, Helena Bonham-Carter, James Fox, David Kelly.
Directed by Tim Burton.
Out nationwide now.
Constantine
DVD REVIEW
By Phil Savva
Yet another comic book comes to life on the silver screen. This time
it’s chain-smoking, demon hunter John Constantine.
The balance between good and evil is shifting in the netherworld of Hell.
The son of Satan wants to escape the confines of the pit and establish his
own kingdom in the realm of men on Earth.
So when the fabled Spear of Destiny is discovered in an old ruined church
in Mexico so begins the process of his rise to become the ruler of mankind.
Keanu Reeves, often slated for his acting, is not overtaxed here but
puts on an enjoyable enough performance nonetheless as the world-weary,
wise-cracking supernatural detective while Rachel Weisz as Angela Dodson
— a cop who is also a psychic and is the vessel by which the demon will
enter Earth — is also convincing enough.
The special effects are impressive and there are one or two clever twists
and genuine shocks along the way as Constantine battles all manner of demons
in the city of Los Angeles and in Hell itself to restore the balance between
good and evil.
Oscar-winning stuff it isn’t but enjoyable hokum it certainly is and
well worth checking out.
Starring Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz Djimon Hounsou.
Directed by Francis Lawrence.
On retail now.
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