I can't put my finger on it, the film just lacked something for me, the music didn't hit the toe tapping quality it maybe could have. The songs over time might enter my most listened tunes for 2024 but interestingly the only time my ears pricked up were when I heard the notes towards the end for pure imagination. The set design and atmosphere were well done but didn't quite hit the magical notes you'd expect for Wonka. Olivia Coleman and Tom Davis were enjoyable but Wonka's sidekicks were sadly mostly forgettable. I enjoyed Keegan's ever increasing waistline over the film's length as he continued to sell himself out but would have liked a bit more menace from the three chocolatiers to offer a bit more jeopardy to the good guys.
Hugh Grant was enjoyable and could have been sprinkled in a bit more across the film. Chalamet performed the role admirably, I'm not sure you need to have the qualities of a Gene Kelly to act and sing on film to perform these sorts of roles so he coped well enough with what was required of him.
All in all a perfectly good 2 hours revisiting a children's classic and a welcome change from watching a string of below par superhero films.
Hugh Grant was enjoyable and could have been sprinkled in a bit more across the film. Chalamet performed the role admirably, I'm not sure you need to have the qualities of a Gene Kelly to act and sing on film to perform these sorts of roles so he coped well enough with what was required of him.
All in all a perfectly good 2 hours revisiting a children's classic and a welcome change from watching a string of below par superhero films.