Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Tim Burton's version of the Roald Dahl classic is, for kids, a wonderous treat. I believe that Burton, unlike the reclusive candy monarch at the center of his film, is actually fond of children. For adults, however, it's very difficult to overcome the sweetness of the 1971 classic starring Gene Wilder as the mischievous Willy Wonka - and neither Burton, who piles on the chocolate but screws up the undercurrent, nor Johnny Depp, whose take on Wonka is as disagreeable as a sourball, has been able to come close.

You know the basic story: five kids find golden tickets in candy bars and are sent on a magical tour of the legendary Wonka factory. Four of the five arrive with vices intact: Augustus Gloop is a glutton, Violet Beauregarde is a gum-chewing brat, Mike Teavee is a vidiot, and Veruca Salt is interminably spoiled by her rich father. Only Charlie Bucket (Freddie Highmore) has been raised as a "good boy" - and so, as the story goes, after each of the others succumbs to their vices in the chocolate factory, receiving just punishment for their excesses, Charlie inherits the joint.

There are some twists to Burton's version that sidle closer to Dahl's original, including new rooms in the factory and a conclusion that extends the story beyond the 1971 film. But there are misfires as well: a backstory providing Wonka with an unhappy childhood (because in Hollywood, when someone is weird or bad, they have an unhappy childhood, don't you know), while a high point due to Christopher Lee's delicious work in the role of Wonka's father, is unnecessary and nearly undermines the very point of the story; which is, by the way, that life's confections require balance, not explanations, to be enjoyed. Willy Wonka is a peculiar, zesty, intricate little joy; the less we know about him, the more we enjoy his antics.

Depp does his best; but he's arrived at a child-hating agoraphobe who channels Michael Jackson while torturing civilians as a form of therapy. And Burton's tour of the factory, while splendid in its visuals, is paced far too slowly; the piece, curiously, has none of the manic agitation of a traditional Burton film. The children's vices have been updated, but not far enough; Mike Teevee is addicted to video games, but in these days it's more likely he'll be shortly addicted to something far worse, and Veruca might be spoiled by her inheritance, but in 2005 (when the film was released) we didn't vilify the Hiltons, we gave them movie deals. For better or worse, Dahl's irritations with the way parents raise their children are irreconcilably dated.

Even in 1971, the original story did not suit well; there is a massive difference between a Wonka who is disingenuous in the way he vets an heir, and a Wonka who is patently not a nice human being. It's nice that a well-mannered boy can bring a disturbed recluse into the warmth of his family - but the statements we're making about "normalcy" are thoughtless, and the potential crime, however much it appeals, of depicting Wonka as disturbed, rather than merely odd, might be far worse than excessive gum-chewing. Perhaps the comparison to the late Michael Jackson is apt, after all.

Thank goodness for Freddie Highmore, whose performance as Charlie is surprisingly nuanced - watch out for this kid, because he comes on like the next Christian Bale. And I'm not questioning the success of "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory" as a two-hour Blu-ray babysitter; your children will be suitably mystified by the tremendous visuals, the music, and the eminently curious Willy Wonka. But for all of its success, Dahl's story, like raw sugar, is best when blended with slightly more evolved sensibilities. This version is pretty enough, but it's got a bitter taste to it.

The October 4 Blu-ray Disc includes the following special features:

-In-Movie Experience! Tim Burton takes you through the mouth-watering creative process that brought this elaborate production to the screen - all as you watch the movie!

- Commentary by Tim Burton

- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Chocolate Dreams

- Different Faces, Different Flavors

- Designer Chocolate

- Under the Wrapper

- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Sweet Sounds

- Becoming Oompa-Loompa: How they turned one man into hundreds of Oompa-Loompas

- Attack of the Squirrels: A look at the trained nut-sorting squirrels

- Fantastic Mr. Dahl: A look into the life of Roald Dahl

- Two Previsualizations: Augustus Gloop dance and Mike Teavee dance

- Dolby TrueHD music-only track showcasing Danny Elfman's score and songs

- European club reel

- Theatrical trailer

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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Blu-ray
$19.98
http://warnerblu.warnerbros.com/