Mark Llobrera
Wonka cover image

Wonka

Year
2023
Watched
Dec 17, 2023
Rewatch?
No

This review may contain spoilers.

Y Kant Willy Read

Saw this because my kid was in a 5th grade stage production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the director/cast got back together for a viewing.

The movie is a mixed bag—I love Paul King’s Paddington movies and some of the visual language here is fun, like when it goes into flashbacks. The idea of a murderous chocolate cartel is great! Not so great is the film relying on fatphobia for humor with the Chief-of-Police character. I cringed when a kid behind me said “He’s so fat!” as if that alone were enough to justify ridicule.

I would have traded some of the earlier scenes for more of the final heist, but maybe that’s just my genre preferences talking. Wonka’s Eleven! Think about it.