Those Oompa-Loompas are the beat, and soul, of Burton's finest movie since "Ed Wood": a madhouse kiddie musical with a sweet-and-sour heart.
100
Chicago Tribune
Michael Wilmington
A peach of a story delightfully imagined by Dahl and lushly realized by Burton. It's full of witty or awesome scenes, flights of fancy and characters either totally, lovably sweet or outrageously, humorously rotten.
80
The Hollywood Reporter
Kirk Honeycutt
Here's a film about kids and for kids that has not lost touch with what it is like to actually be a kid.
80
Dallas Observer
Bill Gallo
A perfect marriage of author and director.
75
ReelViews
James Berardinelli
Lovers of Dahl's book will almost certainly appreciate what Burton has wrought.