Matilda The Musical is an adaptation of Tim Minchins" stage show of the same name and not a remake of the 1996 film starring Mara Wilson or a direct adaptation of the book by Roald Dahl. This is the first thing to know, because this film is filled to the brim with musical numbers. It stars Stephen Graham, Emma Thompson, Lashana Lynch and Alisha Weir as Matilda and is directed by Matthew Warchus (who also helmed the play).
Adaptations of Roald Dahl stories tend to go one way. They are either wonderful (Fantastic Mr Fox, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) or they end up being a convoluted and overstuffed exercise in mediocrity (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and 2020's The Witches). Matilda is one of the better known Dahl stories, because it resonates well with children. Scary, funny and filled with morals about goodness overcoming evil and finding hope in the darkest corners, it has delighted generations of children and their parents. The musical in particular has won countless awards and continues to draw people in their droves to witness the witty lyrics from comedian Tim Minchin. When it was announced that the stage play was to get a upgrade to live action film many people groaned. Images of James Cordon in tights wailing towards the moonlight a la Cats came to mind, but thankfully Matilda The Musical is surprisingly sweet and a whole lot of fun. Changes have been made from the source material and even the original play (some musical numbers have been omitted and others have been added to give the finish a nice theatrical polish), but for the most part the story follows the original narrative closely. Matilda Wormwood is a kind hearted 8 year old genius, who's parents don't appreciate her. In fact, they seldom acknowledge her presence at all and when they do it is often to remind her what an inconvenience she is. Instead, she turns to the stories in her books for comfort and uses her sharp wit to get her own back when the grownups around her are particularly horrd. Once the authorities realise that Matilda is not attending school she is packed off to Crunchem Hall, a building that better resembles The Clink. Here, she meets monstrous child-hating Headmistress Miss Trunchbull and the lovely free spirited teacher Miss Honey, who has a secret of her own. High jinks ensue when Matilda realises she has telekinetic powers.
POSITIVES: As this is an adaptation of the musical, everything feels bright and garish, from the costumes to the sets. The film definitely has a "popping" feel to it, akin to Dr Seuss book. The musical numbers are whimsical and the choreography is finely polished and a lot of fun. All of the dancers and supporting cast do a great job and it is obvious that everyone is having a lot of fun with it. Alisha Weir as Matilda is wonderful, and she really carries the film at times. She feels like a real person rather than a caricature and her vocal ability is impressive. Lashana Lynch as Miss Honey is also delightful. Sickly sweet but nuanced with a hint of sadness, she balances Emma Thompson as the tyrannical Trunchbull. Thompson is a force to be reckoned with, despite the obvious comparisons with the genuinely unnerving performance by Pam Ferris in the 1996 adaptation. She still manages to make the character her own (a shame she has been stuffed into a fat suit and made to wear cartoonish prosthetics). The central performances are good all round and despite being lighter in tone than previous versions, I imagine that most people will really enjoy watching this on the big screen.
CONS: Condensing a 3 hour musical (with interval) into a slightly-under 2 hour film (with credits) means that inevitably some things are going to be lost, such as lines of dialogue or musical numbers and that is the case with Matilda. It doesn't detract too much, especially if you haven't already seen the stage version, but diehard Matilda fanatics will no doubt pick up on the condensed runtime. Because of this, some plot points or characterisations have been altered or removed, making relationships seem rushed. The bond between Matilda and Miss Honey for example feels a bit like an afterthought when it should be central to the plot. Instead we get more emphasis on the librarian character (a minor character in previous adaptations). The usually brilliant Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough feel underused as the ghastly parents (especially when compared to Danny DeVito and Rhea Pearlman who gave the 1996 version many of its comedy beats). The antagonists feel uniformly cartoonish, which is an odd tonal choice when the protagonists are very much human and grounded in reality. It isn't too jarring but if you enjoy the book or the 1996 version then some of the more infantile sequences will stand out more. Perhaps garishness and slapstick work better on the stage? There are also a couple of scenes where it is obvious they used the dreaded green screen (a sequence with Matilda on the rooftop is blatant) and some of the CGI looks cheap (especially towards the end when the film flips to musical X Men).
FINAL THOUGHTS. Matilda The Musical The Movie is a great time for the whole family and it is a lot better than it has any right to be. Distinguishable enough from the 1996 film and a pleasant surprise for fans of the musical. It may miss the mark compared to some of the other adaptations of Dahls zany world, but there's great performances, musical numbers and a sprinkling of magic and comedy throughout. It's a marvellous film that will have you clapping and singing along.
Adaptations of Roald Dahl stories tend to go one way. They are either wonderful (Fantastic Mr Fox, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) or they end up being a convoluted and overstuffed exercise in mediocrity (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and 2020's The Witches). Matilda is one of the better known Dahl stories, because it resonates well with children. Scary, funny and filled with morals about goodness overcoming evil and finding hope in the darkest corners, it has delighted generations of children and their parents. The musical in particular has won countless awards and continues to draw people in their droves to witness the witty lyrics from comedian Tim Minchin. When it was announced that the stage play was to get a upgrade to live action film many people groaned. Images of James Cordon in tights wailing towards the moonlight a la Cats came to mind, but thankfully Matilda The Musical is surprisingly sweet and a whole lot of fun. Changes have been made from the source material and even the original play (some musical numbers have been omitted and others have been added to give the finish a nice theatrical polish), but for the most part the story follows the original narrative closely. Matilda Wormwood is a kind hearted 8 year old genius, who's parents don't appreciate her. In fact, they seldom acknowledge her presence at all and when they do it is often to remind her what an inconvenience she is. Instead, she turns to the stories in her books for comfort and uses her sharp wit to get her own back when the grownups around her are particularly horrd. Once the authorities realise that Matilda is not attending school she is packed off to Crunchem Hall, a building that better resembles The Clink. Here, she meets monstrous child-hating Headmistress Miss Trunchbull and the lovely free spirited teacher Miss Honey, who has a secret of her own. High jinks ensue when Matilda realises she has telekinetic powers.
POSITIVES: As this is an adaptation of the musical, everything feels bright and garish, from the costumes to the sets. The film definitely has a "popping" feel to it, akin to Dr Seuss book. The musical numbers are whimsical and the choreography is finely polished and a lot of fun. All of the dancers and supporting cast do a great job and it is obvious that everyone is having a lot of fun with it. Alisha Weir as Matilda is wonderful, and she really carries the film at times. She feels like a real person rather than a caricature and her vocal ability is impressive. Lashana Lynch as Miss Honey is also delightful. Sickly sweet but nuanced with a hint of sadness, she balances Emma Thompson as the tyrannical Trunchbull. Thompson is a force to be reckoned with, despite the obvious comparisons with the genuinely unnerving performance by Pam Ferris in the 1996 adaptation. She still manages to make the character her own (a shame she has been stuffed into a fat suit and made to wear cartoonish prosthetics). The central performances are good all round and despite being lighter in tone than previous versions, I imagine that most people will really enjoy watching this on the big screen.
CONS: Condensing a 3 hour musical (with interval) into a slightly-under 2 hour film (with credits) means that inevitably some things are going to be lost, such as lines of dialogue or musical numbers and that is the case with Matilda. It doesn't detract too much, especially if you haven't already seen the stage version, but diehard Matilda fanatics will no doubt pick up on the condensed runtime. Because of this, some plot points or characterisations have been altered or removed, making relationships seem rushed. The bond between Matilda and Miss Honey for example feels a bit like an afterthought when it should be central to the plot. Instead we get more emphasis on the librarian character (a minor character in previous adaptations). The usually brilliant Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough feel underused as the ghastly parents (especially when compared to Danny DeVito and Rhea Pearlman who gave the 1996 version many of its comedy beats). The antagonists feel uniformly cartoonish, which is an odd tonal choice when the protagonists are very much human and grounded in reality. It isn't too jarring but if you enjoy the book or the 1996 version then some of the more infantile sequences will stand out more. Perhaps garishness and slapstick work better on the stage? There are also a couple of scenes where it is obvious they used the dreaded green screen (a sequence with Matilda on the rooftop is blatant) and some of the CGI looks cheap (especially towards the end when the film flips to musical X Men).
FINAL THOUGHTS. Matilda The Musical The Movie is a great time for the whole family and it is a lot better than it has any right to be. Distinguishable enough from the 1996 film and a pleasant surprise for fans of the musical. It may miss the mark compared to some of the other adaptations of Dahls zany world, but there's great performances, musical numbers and a sprinkling of magic and comedy throughout. It's a marvellous film that will have you clapping and singing along.