It all begins with the cult status 2022 indie hit, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (stay with me, it will make sense in due course.) In a highly memeable scene which has now gone viral, Nicholas Cage (playing Nicholas Cage) asks Pedro Pascal’s character what his second favourite movie of all time is. “Paddington 2.” He replies, “It made me want to be a better man.” That’s a lot for any director to live up to for their next project. 

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But the creator of those beloved films, director and writer Paul King, has done it once again, fast becoming the Chris Columbus of his generation. Stuffed full with imagination, wit, and whimsy with Chalamet perfection in the lead role, Wonka is a modern day family classic and will be rewatched for years to come. Absolutely scrumdiddlyumptious.

From Paul King, writer/director of the “Paddington” films, comes an intoxicating mix of magic and music, mayhem and emotion, all told with fabulous heart and humour. Starring Timothée Chalamet in the title role, this irresistibly vivid and inventive big screen spectacle will introduce audiences to a young Willy Wonka, chock-full of ideas and determined to change the world one delectable bite at a time—proving that the best things in life begin with a dream, and if you’re lucky enough to meet Willy Wonka, anything is possible.

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One of the flaws of the prequel of a well known franchise or character, is that there is a tendency to hang the film not on the quality of the story or the crafting of new characters, but instead relying on nostalgia and the appearance of old characters to get the film through. While Wonka has some throwbacks to what has gone before, its story and the film itself stands firmly on its own two feet. 

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And it’s a cracking tale that draws you right into its warm, chocolatey embrace from the first to last frame. And there’s an incredible sense that they’ve captured the very essence of Roald Dahl’s storytelling as well, from the new villainous characters to the very panto-esque humour and the imaginative sweet treats that Wonka crafts. But what Dahl perfected is a sense of childlike wonder, a warmth, from within his stories for not just children but adults too. Wonka wonderfully captures this feeling, which oozes out throughout this film. 

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The songs are catchy and will be stuck in your head for days, the jokes all land and will have you spluttering through your popcorn, you’ll shed a few tears as it tugs at your heartstrings, and every single character feels lived in and real. 

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But at the very heart of this film is Wonka himself and Timothée Chalamet’s portrayal of him. He is sublime; perfectly encapsulating the wide eyed wonder, the slight madness, and heart of Wonka.  

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Stuffed full with imagination, wit, and whimsy with Chalamet perfection in the lead role, Wonka is a modern day family classic and will be rewatched for years to come. Absolutely scrumdiddlyumptious.