CAST: Johnny Depp (Willy Wonka), Freddie Highmore (Charlie Bucket), David Kelly (Grandpa Joe), Helena Bonham Carter (Mrs. Bucket), Noah Taylor (Mr. Bucket), Missi Pyle ( Mrs. Beauregarde), James Fox (Mr. Salt), Deep Roy (Oompa Loompa), Christopher Lee (Dr. Wonka) SCR: John August DIR: Tim Burton STUDIO: Warner Bros. MPAA: PG for quirky situations, action and mild language. RUNNING TIME: 106 minutes OFFICIAL SITE: http://chocolatefactorymovie.warnerbros.com Gene Wilder starred in the 1971 cult classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, a thematic version of the Roald Dahl novel. With orange-faced Oompa Loompa's singing in psychedelic settings, Wilder's version of candy delight produced fond memories of a caring eccentric and a good-hearted kid. Fast forward three decades and you get Tim Burton and Johnny Depp's take on Dahl's seminal work. Wilder was upset that studio executives decided to remake his cult classic. Gene, no worries necessary as this new version will never be confused with your own. Quick hit: a visual treat, but filled with directionless darkness. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory covers the familiar story of Charlie Bucket. A precocious little tyke, Charlie lives with his poverty-stricken family in a slanted shack eating cabbage soup everyday. When the infamous Willy Wonka randomly inserts five golden tickets into his candy bars, the whole world takes notice and buys his candy bars like a fat kid buys…candy bars. Charlie gets in on the action, wins himself a ticket, gets himself a tour of the factory with four other problem children, and meets himself a certified weirdo. All good fun for the family. Director Tim Burton delves into obscure darkness, washing away any ideas of light-hearted warmth. Willy Wonka is not only eccentric, he's downright creepy. An emotionally stunted man-child with an ever-present, overly-concocted grin, Wonka skews from gentle patriarch and into the realm of highly disturbed crazy. The stereotyped children, from spoiled princess to overachiever trophy child to gluttonous over-indulger to maladjusted video-game freak, all fall prey to the overzealous chocolateer in elaborate schemes. However, there are no lessons learned in Burton's version, just some stylized song-and-dance numbers and freakish satisfaction from Wonka. And while that's one direction to go, Burton fails to produce the proper motivation for his ghoulish star. Attempts to flesh out Wonka's character include flashbacks to an overbearing dentist of a father and a torture-rack brace-set for young Willy. Never psychologically abuse your young Willy, he'll grow up creepy and devoid of compassion. Yet, these brief interludes fail to offer more emotional discord, focusing more on how Willy ended up a weird guy instead of why he's so troubled. Johnny Depp fills the role of Willy Wonka with great aplomb. While he disputes the claims of modeling the character after another famous childlike star, Michael Jackon, it is easy to see where the similarities call for the comparison. Depp layers Wonka with a pseudo-naïveté on the surface, a deeper mischievous depravity, and an emotionally scarred core. He manages subtle nuances that are a delight to notice: nodding along to Oompa Loompa numbers while others stare on in shocked horror, affable facial expressions that disappear on a moment's notice when out of sight from his guests, and a thinly veiled condescending attitude to match his most troublesome visitors. Depp continues to build on his resume of memorable characters with Willy Wonka, delivering a performance that is interesting to watch even if the character borders on unlikable. The other cast members are solid if unspectacular. Charlie, played by Freddie Highmore, is a decent boy with a kind family. His Grandpa Joe is the old-timer who probably helped mold Charlie into a standup young boy, but David Kelly's role doesn't provide much development on that. The other kids, from spoiled Veruca Salt to obese Augustus Gloop are decent, but seem more like well-placed props for the duration of their roles. Of course, there are the Oompa-Loompas, all played by actor Deep Roy. Appearing onscreen as 24-inch sidekicks, the Oompa-Loompas avoid hitting the creepiness level of Wonka. Roy is digitally inserted into scenes over-and-over again to populate the factory with pint-sized workers. Roy actually filmed each Oompa-Loompa separately, allowing Burton to produce seamless musical numbers that were unhindered by an army of unrealistic CGI dwarves. Offering some humorous moments, the Oompa Loompas are decent to watch, but their musical numbers are mostly unintelligible. For family fun, this film borders on a misfire. The visuals are great for the audience, but the story is dark and almost grim. Sure, the source material is not necessarily a fun-filled romp with warm-fuzzy goodness, but a tale about an amazing candy factory doesn't have to be sinister either. There are limited laughs throughout the flick, but never signature moments of hilarity. The various candy room scenarios play out well, but never offer unexpected surprises. With some sprinkled laughs and eye-candy treats, this film is decent but not overwhelming entertainment. Overall, Burton delivers a Tim Burton film: visually engaging fare that lacks in the story presentation. With Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Burton's pacing is solid and the plot moves along well. Yet, even with the novel to draw on, the film lacks the extra depth it needs to connect to the audience. Visually, the director offers a grand spectacle, from the Gotham-esque exterior of the factory to the wondrous inner-workings of the candy palace. As Wonka takes the winners on a tour they'll never forget, the audience is truly transported into a world of chocolate waterfalls and glass elevators. However, the magic of the location is enveloped by the dark quirkiness of its owner, making it difficult to fully enjoy the magnificence. In the end, it's hard to relate to Wonka, its hard to find empathy for this disturbed figure, and the moral centerpiece of Charlie is never developed beyond his superficial traits. Out of 5 golden tickets, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory finds 2.5 winning bars. Decent to look at, not as great after you unwrap it. --reviewed by ALTON LEE