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Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is strange yet comforting, full of narrative detours that don't always work but express the film's uniqueness.
All Critics (46) | Top Critics (3) | Fresh (42) | Rotten (4) | DVD (12)
Probably the best film of its sort since The Wizard of Oz. It is everything that family movies usually claim to be, but aren't: Delightful, funny, scary, exciting, and, most of all, a genuine work of imagination. Jul 9, 2018 | Rating: 4/4 | Full Review…
Probably the best film of its sort since The Wizard of Oz. It is everything that family movies usually claim to be, but aren't: Delightful, funny, scary, exciting, and, most of all, a genuine work of imagination.
Roger Ebert
An okay family musical fantasy. Aug 14, 2008 | Full Review…
An okay family musical fantasy.
Variety Staff
Great fun, with Wilder for once giving an impeccably controlled performance as the factory's bizarre owner. Jan 26, 2006 | Full Review…
Great fun, with Wilder for once giving an impeccably controlled performance as the factory's bizarre owner.
he casting of Gene Wilder in the title role is the key: there is a crazed, yet knowing, glint in his eye that suggests the world of corporate confectionery is more sillier and sinister than we will ever know. Sep 20, 2018 | Rating: 4.5/5 | Full Review…
he casting of Gene Wilder in the title role is the key: there is a crazed, yet knowing, glint in his eye that suggests the world of corporate confectionery is more sillier and sinister than we will ever know.
Leigh Paatsch
It is a rare breed: an imaginative live-action kid's film that engages and delights adults. Feb 3, 2018 | Full Review…
It is a rare breed: an imaginative live-action kid's film that engages and delights adults.
Sean Axmaker
Creates a marvelous world as close to heaven as any kid can imagine and never talks down to its young audience. Aug 8, 2017 | Rating: 2.5/5 | Full Review…
Creates a marvelous world as close to heaven as any kid can imagine and never talks down to its young audience.
The movie continues to remain timeless in spite of itself. Aug 8, 2017 | Rating: 5/5 | Full Review…
The movie continues to remain timeless in spite of itself.
Rich Phippen
Vibrant, imaginative fantasy reveals a layer of grimness beneath the confection. Aug 8, 2017 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…
Vibrant, imaginative fantasy reveals a layer of grimness beneath the confection.
Jeremy Aspinall
The film has a rosier reputation than it earns, but its strengths are awfully good, and [Gene] Wilder is one for the history books. Dec 5, 2016 | Rating: 7/10 | Full Review…
The film has a rosier reputation than it earns, but its strengths are awfully good, and [Gene] Wilder is one for the history books.
Tim Brayton
With a single gleam of his eye, Wilder pulls off more hints at a devious personality than all Johnny Depp's white make up, and bad wigs combined. Oct 4, 2014 | Full Review…
With a single gleam of his eye, Wilder pulls off more hints at a devious personality than all Johnny Depp's white make up, and bad wigs combined.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
It's Gene Wilder, at the top of his form, who makes this uneasy amalgam work, but [Mel] Stuart must surely deserve some of the credit... May 4, 2012 | Full Review…
It's Gene Wilder, at the top of his form, who makes this uneasy amalgam work, but [Mel] Stuart must surely deserve some of the credit...
A polarizing, but classic piece of children's entertainment filled with whimsy, horror, comedy and imagination. Jan 29, 2012 | Rating: 9/10 | Full Review…
A polarizing, but classic piece of children's entertainment filled with whimsy, horror, comedy and imagination.
R.L. Shaffer
this is truly one of the most magical and wonderful films ever made. It has everything that makes a children classic such as wizard of oz. Gene Wilder was a perfect choice for Willy not like Johnny Depp in The Tim Burton remake. I love how the moral of the story is don't be greedy but it doesn't come out and preach it your to busy having a good time looking at everything and being entertained by everything.
Super Reviewer
Gene Wilder is a genius, and he makes us love this magical film that may not be as well polished as it could have been but has a lovely charm of its own and has become a cult childhood favorite for so many people - like a younger sibling of The Wizard of Oz and Mary Poppins.
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is based on the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. As is the case with the author's children's books, there is a sinister element that is most subversive. It is a recurring theme in his works and this adaptation is no different. The movie was filmed in Munich and this gives the town a puzzling hard-to-place feel before anyone even sets foot in the factory. Five lucky kids get the opportunity to tour Will Wonka's wondrous plant but the experience isn't quite what they were anticipating. The bright colorful production design stirs the imagination with possibilities. There's a chocolate river, giant edible mushrooms, lickable wallpaper, a Wonkamobile that shoots soap. It's all rather enchanting. Only the Fizzy Lifting Drinks sequence is snooze. When the picture was released in 1971 it was a box office disappointment. Despite garnering positive reviews it only earned a mere $4 million in 1971. Over the years, however, the film achieved the status as a cult film and is now widely accepted as an outright classic. It's easy to see why. I love this film. fastfilmreviews.com
Classic fantasy film based on Roald Dahl's book, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is a standout film with some truly engaging performances, amusing musical numbers and impressive visuals. Gene Wilder is great in the lead role, and the film has the perfect balance of dialogue and musical numbers to make it a truly engaging experience. This is an eccentric fantasy film, one that should be seen by anyone that enjoys a bizarre, story. For fans of the book, they should check this out, and with that being said, I think that Gene Wilder was the perfect choice to play Willy Wonka, and he delivers one of his strongest performances of his career. This is a well crafted picture with some memorable moments that is sure to entertaining you from start to finish. This is a classic film that is constantly entertaining, and boasts a truly unique story. If you want a fantasy film that can capture your imagination, then this is the one to watch. The film has strong performances from everyone involved, and is a fun film to be enjoyed by anyone that loves this genre. Gene Wilder, like I said steals the show and he makes this film a truly memorable picture. Roald Dahl disowned the script that he wrote, but I think that it's still a strong picture, one that makes you want to read the book. The film boasts a strong sense of visuals, which are impressive for its time, and it also adds so much to the film's atmosphere. If you want a standout fantasy picture, then this is a perfect film to watch. The amount of musical numbers is fairly minimal, and it's a good thing because it permits to focus a lot on the story as well. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is a cinematic classic, and one that is near perfect.
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