We all love Willy Wonka; we have seen the movies and heard about the classics from our elders. The new Wonka movie is a musical comedy and is the prequel to Roald Dahl’s classic novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

This time, we have the up-and-coming superstar Timothee Chalamet as Willy Wonka, who sang and danced into our hearts. Unlike the previous characters, he is not a maniac but loved by all.

The movie is a prequel to whatever Willy Wonka films we have seen or heard. In the fantasy musical, a young Willy Wonka moves to the big city to open his chocolate shop and become successful. For two hours, he is either smiling, dancing, or singing. He is, in his own words, a magician who loves to make chocolates. Wonka is tricked into trading his dreams and is trapped in a laundry, a place he escapes from by using skills that make him successful.

One can find similar characteristics between oneself and Wonka when the ‘will’ to rule the world faces hindrance from the already established ‘rulers’. With catchy music and elaborate sets, the movie is bound to hold your attention, especially with lyrics like “Put your hand inside your pocket, get yourself some Wonka chocolate!”.

There is also the presence of Rowan Atkinson, known for his portrayal of Mr Bean. We meet a short green-haired orange man, Oompa Loompa, played by Hugh Grant. The end marks the beginning of Oompa Loompa and Wonka’s collaboration, which we see in future movies.

Chocolate rules everything in the town and is used metaphorically as a currency. Wonka, who has been around the world, prepares chocolates that are loved by all. The Chocolate Cartel wants him out of the way by any means. They have the police in their control and can do whatever they want. Willy Wonka is just the one person they don’t need in the city. There are moments of delight when Wonka eventually defeats the bad guys.

Paul King directs the film, who had previously given us films like Paddington. The two-hour movie has the vibes of Mary Poppins and the performances, songs, costumes, and choreography are impressive too. The main theme of the movie is that friendship makes you learn everything. One has to take the route as advised by parents, rather than trying to get somewhere on one’s own.

Published in Dawn, Young World, June 8th, 2024