When it comes to creative authors, perhaps none fits that description better than Roald Dahl. The novelist created many stories that captured the hearts and minds of readers, both children and adults, with each story reveling in their zaniness. Yet of all of Dahl’s stories, perhaps none may be more iconic than the 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The story of Charlie Bucket visiting a magical chocolate factory has become a major in not just literature but pop culture as well as the story has been adapted for the big screen on two separate occasions. However, no matter the adaption, there is no denying that the character who steals the show is none other than the eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka. Willy Wonka has become a pop culture icon and is easily one of the most recognizable characters from Dahl’s stories. Yet despite the character’s notoriety, little is known about Willy and how he became the legendary candy maker; and that is what the latest adaptation sets out to do. Before the chocolate factory, the origins of the chocolatier in the movie simply called Wonka.

Wonka deals with Willy (Timothee Chalamet) who seeks to become a famous chocolatier, but finds that fulfilling that dream is easier said than done. However with the help of Noodle (Calah Lane) and friends, Willy finds a way to get his name out there; though this does gain the attention of rivals like Slugworth (Paterson Joseph) who will stop at nothing to keep Willy from living his dream. Directing this new take on the famed story is none other than Paul King; the filmmaker behind the Pattington films. Along with being a spiritual prequel, this new movie is also a musical with the songs being written by Neil Hannon. Between seeing a new take on Roald Dahl’s classic story, not to mention being a musical, this new adaptation was a must see for me. So I headed to the theater to see this new take on Willy Wonka; and after seeing it I can only say that this adaptation left a delightful taste in my mouth.

When dealing with a character like Willy Wonka, one wonders just how you would craft an origin for the chocolatier. In the case of Wonka, the film’s answer was to keep things simple. Rather than focusing solely on the character’s origins, the movie puts Willy on an adventure during his early days as a chocolate maker; and if you ask me this direction worked in the story’s favor. Seeing Willy on this journey was an enjoyable experience as the story, though straightforward, had a few surprises that left me impressed. In the case of its tone, the story crafted an atmosphere that was fitting for the works of Roald Dahl. Furthermore, while the story has some connection to the 1971 film, its ties were loose to say the least, and I felt this was the right move as it allowed this adaptation to have its own identity while respecting the stories that came before it.

Much like the story, I was curious to see how the movie would handle the character of Willy Wonka. With the character having such a reputation, it was safe to say that the movie had an uphill battle in their take of the iconic chocolatier. After seeing it for myself, I can say that Timothee Chalamet’s take on the character was a fitting rendition. Willy made for an engaging protagonist with a lot of charisma behind him, and Chalamet’s performance as the young chocolatier was nothing short of fantastic. Along with this new take on Wonka was an impressive ensemble enriched in character. Noodle was an enjoyable secondary protagonist who had several great scenes with Willy; while additions such as Abacus Crunch (Jim Carter), the Police Chief (Keegan Micheal-Key) and Father Julius (Rowan Atkinson) were enjoyable characters. As for the villains, Slugworth and the rest of the Chocolate Cartel were simplistic but worked for the movie’s direction; and managed to be memorable thanks to their outlandish nature. Rounding out the cast were the likes of Sally Hawkins as Willy’s mother and of course Hugh Grant as Lofty the Oompa-Loompa who brought both charm and quality to this exuberant cast.

Along with outlandish storytelling and cast was the film’s fantastic sense of presentation. The movie’s visuals were not only stylish and fitting for its light-hearted atmosphere. Yet if there was one area this adaptation strived in, it was its music. The score by Joby Talbot brought a sense of enthusiasm that you expect to hear from a movie like this one. Yet when it came to the songs by Neil Hannon, that is where the soundtrack(and the movie) truly shined. The musical numbers were as enlightening as they were catchy with songs like “A Hatful full of Dreams”, “You’ve Never Had Chocolate Like This”, “A World of Your Own” and of course “Pure Imagination” being highlights for the film.

Wonka is a wonderous take on the Roald Dahl classic. Between its creative storytelling and phenomenal cast, this adaptation finds a way to respect its source while bringing something new to the cherished series; and along with its fantastic soundtrack and musical numbers this film was a joyous cinematic experience. Creating an origin for Willy Wonka was indeed a gamble, but I think it paid off as this new movie has the potential to be just as memorable as its predecessors-and is easily one of the best films of 2023.