Conflicted, that's how I felt when I first heard Tim Burton's plan to make the children's classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. On the one hand, I loved the original movie and hated the idea of another one. On the other hand, it was Tim Burton who was helming it and with frequent collaborator Johnny Depp, at that. I mean, if anyone could capture the mixture of fascination and just plain creepiness that is Willy Wonka; it's those two.

The story remains the same. Five kids win golden tickets which give them unprecedented access to the Willy Wonka's amazing Chocolate Factory. The story centers around poor Charlie Bucket (Freddie Highmore) who lives in a run-down house where his parents barely make ends meet and watery cabbage soup is a staple. All four of Charlie's grandparents live with them, sharing a bed. More than anything young Charlie wants a golden ticket and he watches helplessly as the first four tickets get gobbled up. The first winner is Augustus Glop (Philip Wiegratz) an overweight German boy who devours chocolates and any other food unfortunate enough to catch his eye. Veruca Salt (Julia Winter) a spoiled British girl, is the next one. The third ticket is claimed by Violet Beauregarde (Annasophia Robb) a competitive overachiever who values winning above all else. The fourth ticket goes to Mike Teavee (Jordan Fry), a know-it-all videogame enthusiast. Against all odds, Charlie manages to win that fifth ticket and then it's off to the Wonderful World of Willy Wonka! As the tour proceeds, the children are introduced to a host of tricks and treats, not to mention musical numbers by Wonka's workers, the Oompa-Loompas (all played by Indian actor Deep Roy). One by one, the kids meet their fate. And ultimately both Charlie and Willy Wonka himself learn the importance of family.

The story behind the story is this. Roald Dahl, who wrote the children's classic, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory hated the 1971 movie. Even though he wrote the script, he hated the end result. The producers even changed his title from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Tim Burton, hated that version too. And though Roald Dahl died in 1990, Burton got permission from his widow to make the film in a way that was truer to the original book and Dahl's vision. Dahl, like the Grimm Brothers, had a darker edge to many of his children's book and Dahl's estate felt that Burton was the man who could capture that vision. Liccy Dahl has stated that her husband would have approved of this 2005 film.

The set design alone is amazing in this movie. Burton and his crew have created a world, to use a quote from the 1971 production, that is 'pure imagination.' It's visual eye candy. The decision to use one actor (through CGI) to play all of the Oompa-Loompas was also a stroke of genius. Their musical numbers (by Danny Elfman) are some of the highest points of the film.

The character of Willy Wonka is an odd one. He's a strange combination of wide eyed innocence and world weariness. At the same time there is something vaguely sinister about him. Depp captures that creepiness perfectly right down to his odd little ticks and mannerisms. Freddie Highmore, who also costarred with Depp in Finding Neverland, stands his own as little Charlie Bucket.

While Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a children's movie, there were several scenes that through true to Dahl and Burton's darker visions might not be appropriate for very young children.  I'm thinking of a particular scene where young Veruca is attacked by squirrels. It was pretty intense. Having said that, I think children would appreciate some of the physical humor and will be mesmerized by the whole look of it.