Wonka / YMMV - TV Tropes

Alternative Character Interpretation:
- Slugworth has repeatedly (and proudly) displayed a lack of traditional morals and ethics throughout the film, up to and including being willing to murder his competitors. So how come he didn't simply kill Noodle and her mother, especially since their very existence spelt competition for the Slugworth family fortune? Did he simply deem murder unnecessary or was he unwilling to kill these two people? And if its the latter, was it because he was uncomfortable with getting his own hands dirty, or was Arthur against killing the last remaining remnant of his brother in this world? Then again, all this is assuming that he wasn't attempting to kill Noodle when he dropped her down a laundry chute with no way of knowing there'd be something to cushion the fall.
- Did Wonka really give the last of his stock to the Chocolate Cartel in an attempt to pay his debt with Lofty before dying, or did he know they would eat them and that Lofty would rescue him so he can finish paying his debt? It's implied to be the latter given Wonka prepared Hover Chocs specifically designed to make the cartel float away with delayed effect and seems delighted when that happens. On the other hand, he's clearly not in control of the situation in the chocolate chamber ("[A]nd let's face it — we're gonna drown in chocolate"), ultimately trying but failing to escape, and is legitimately surprised once Lofty saves them. Perhaps it's an Indy Ploy: He didn't plan what exactly would cause the Chocolate Cartel to eat the Hover Chocs, but he knew it would be bad for them.
And You Thought It Would Fail: Even with the promising cast and crew attached to the project, first impressions towards the announcement and first trailer were lukewarm at best. Not only was it an origin story for a character that didn't need one, it also appeared to be yet another Wonka project that heavily drew from the Gene Wilder film as opposed to trying its own variation^note. But as early critical reception proved surprisingly high, interest grew. Not only did it end up with a favorable critical and audience reception, but it opened with a $39 million box office debut in the United States alone (a very high debut for a live-action musical film) and was the biggest hit of an otherwise slender 2023 holiday movie season that saw several "sure bets" (in particular Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and Wish (2023)) significantly underperform. The general consensus is that, while the film isn't perfect, it's a fun and enjoyable family film that ended up being far better than most people feared.
Award Snub: Given the movie’s surprise success, many expected that it would get a nod or two at the 96th Academy Awards, such as for its music, its set designs, or the actors' performances. Alas, the movie didn’t get any nominations whatsoever. Special mention going to "A World of Your Own" which, while making the Song list of 94 eligible songs, was conspicuously absent from the shortlist of 15 right out of the gate.
Esoteric Happy Ending: The film's status as a prequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (and adaptations) implies that Fickelgruber, Prodnose, and Slugworth will eventually be back in business and seek revenge by sending spies to steal Wonka's recipes by the time the original story takes place, although they'll still never be nearly as successful as him.
Friendly Fandoms: Many Peep Show fans ended up taking an interest in the film due to the prominence of Paterson Joseph's Slugworth in pre-release material, and this interest intensified when the full film was released and it turned out many other Peep Show cast members also made appearances.
Genius Bonus: The Oompa-Loompa guardians of the cocoa beans wear brightly colored, striped outfits and wield halberds, which is the ceremonial uniform of the Swiss Guard, the bodyguards of the Pope. This shows how seriously the Oompa-Loompas take their cocoa beans. Switzerland is also known for its excellent chocolate.
Memetic Mutation: Umpa-Lumpa, dumpa-di du,/Jetzt wird es tragisch, hören Sie zu!^Translation ^Explanation
Moral Event Horizon:
- The Chief of Police seems like a Laughably Evil Minion with an F in Evil for most of the film, in contrast to the thoroughly rotten Big Bad Ensemble. This lasts right up until he (quite casually) says that he can arrange fatal accidents for Willy's friends (including Noodle, a young girl) as well as Wonka himself without even being asked to do so by the Chocolate Cartel. This is reinforced when he remorselessly sets up Willy's attempted murder by exploding boat, even after he agrees to leave town and never make chocolate again.
- Scrubbit and Bleacher were already over the line by the time the film started, having been running a massive scam that trapped numerous down-on-their-luck travelers into debt slavery and their abusive treatment of Noodle, who is also effectively trapped at the inn. They still manage to take it to new heights when they tamper with Wonka's candy by adding a variety of substances that cause bizarre side effects in the customers. Sure, the ingredients weren't dangerous and the resulting Angry Mob wasn't specifically part of the plan, but they still poisoned a large quantity of food being sold on the market to keep Wonka and the others trapped in debt. This could go for the Chocolate Cartel leaders themselves for orchestrating the plan.
- Slugworth himself crossed it even earlier when it's revealed that after his brother died, he allowed his wife to become homeless, pretended to agree to care for her daughter (his own niece mind), then tossed her down a random laundry chute and told her mother she'd died, all to eliminate any rival heirs to the family business.
Questionable Casting: Many people were absolutely baffled by the announcement that Hugh Grant was going to play, of all characters, an Oompa-Loompa. This unsurprisingly caused a lot of criticism for not hiring an actor with dwarfism for the role like the two previous adaptations of the story. Not helping is that this was announced around the same time Disney got into hot water for doing the same thing in the upcoming live-action remake of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Squick: While the film focuses on the eccentricities and wonderment of "flying chocolate", it's established that Wonka's Hoverchocs are only able to fly because they have live bugs in them. Even better, anyone who eats them temporarily flies before they have to shit the still-living bugs out.
Tear Jerker:
- At the end of Act Two, the crowd turning on Willy after his chocolate is discovered to have been sabotaged by the Cartel, leading to them pelting him with it, destroying his shop and even setting it on fire when the mother whose daughter's been "mustached" cuts down a chandelier.
- The reveal during the climax that Slugworth is Noodle's uncle, who abandoned the sick infant — and told her mother she died — all because he didn't want any competition for his fortune.

YMMV / Wonka

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