Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical

Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical

The inspirational musical tale of an extraordinary girl who discovers her superpower and summons the remarkable courage, against all odds, to help others change their stories, whilst also taking charge of her own destiny. Standing up for what's right, she's met with miraculous results.

  • Released:
  • Runtime: 120 minutes
  • Genre: Comedy, Family, Fantasy
  • Stars: Emma Thompson, Alisha Weir, Lashana Lynch, Stephen Graham, Andrea Riseborough, Sindhu Vee, Charlie Hodson-Prior, Meesha Garbett, Rei Yamauchi Fulker, Winter Jarrett Glasspool, Andrei Shen, Ashton Robertson, Ray Strachan, Ray Strachan, Ray Strachan
  • Director: Matthew Warchus
 Comments
  • meydiana-65242 - 24 February 2024
    I wouls rather the original one than this musical movie!
    Giving this movie a 1 star because i can't give it a half, i saw the original and i had expectations, this was the worst musical i have EVER seen, probably the worst movie i've seen, and coming from a musical lover, it has to be awful for me to not want to watch it, was it worth 2 hours if my time, no. That's why i skipped through 80% of the movie, the best part of the movie was the end, and im not just saying that because that meant it was over but because the last song in the movie was good, the movie was backwards and didnt make much sense, in my opinion it was so bad that you might as well do yourself a favor and skip to the last song it was the best and the only good oart in this entire movie also the credits were twelve minutes long for no reason.

    I'm being honest here, if you've seen the original dont bother with this one and juat go watch the OG again instead, this was a hot mess, and thats an understatement i just cant come up with a better way to describe it, oh wait ive hot it, a waist of two hours of my life that i cant get back, i spent so much time skipping through it desperately trying to gind parts that were good that i wasted two hours anyway.
  • W011y4m5 - 11 September 2023
    Great.
    Granted, I'd literally read a shopping list written by Dennis Kelly (already attended a showing of the musical West End production in London - which he was responsible for - of Roald Dahl's beloved classic "Matilda", so was obviously going to see his adaptation of that to the screen, sooner or later - not a matter of "if", but "when?"), as a continual admirer of his work (cult classic "UTOPIA" - a show he created - to me, remains the greatest series ever commissioned by Channel 4, I'll forever remain bitter at its premature cancellation - a decade on - & I've followed both his & Marc Munden's careers religiously, ever since; watching "Black Sea", "The Third Day", "The Secret Garden" etc.) & therefore, on this occasion, when paired alongside the indomitable mind of Matthew Warchus (a brilliant director whose résumé speaks for itself; "Pride" being one of my favourite films ever made - for instance), this project - stacked with an equally, incredibly talented ensemble cast - won me over before I'd even seen any of the trailers.

    However, I sadly never got chance to watch the film in cinemas (seldom found the time) & have (truth be told, to my shame) avoided viewing the updated version until now on Netflix - wrecked with the dread of potentially disliking work produced by those whom I have so much respect for (there's nothing more dispiriting than having your confidence in someone brought in to question)... But thankfully, I can breathe a massive sigh of relief because it's just as much of a hit as I'd hoped (& knew) it would be, from as early as the announcement.

    Genuinely, by far one of the best things currently available on the streaming service, audiences are once again introduced to the very familiar tale we've admittedly been told before (& probably grown familiar with, amidst our own youthful excursions through famous works of literature, all those years ago) - yet engaging, nonetheless - lovingly brought to life on the global platform for a new generation in an unrepentantly cheesy, family friendly, heartfelt story of much needed optimism & acceptance, full of warmth & endearing sincerity you'd wish to find in a narrative, set within this genre - teaching us how to basically be decent human beings, hopefully overcome inherited trauma & self doubt (whilst pursuing aspirations), passed down from one person to the next.

    Yes, perhaps lacking in subtext (a child's magical powers - a physical, somewhat on-the-nose manifestation of their true identity, symbolising the undiscovered or unappreciated talents each minor theoretically harbours within, if given the chance to embrace themselves & be who they are during formative years - a sickening notion rejected by cynical adults whose dreams have already been crushed; disenfranchised with society, thus, perpetuating the very cruelty wrought upon them before in a cyclical pattern of destructive behaviour - are unearthed with care & support; the cherished, necessary gifts they've been deprived of, since their infancy, unburdening them from the shackles of repression elder individuals are accustomed to & thus, expect others to continue wearing , unquestioningly) & maybe even overzealous in the delivery of its messaging ("two wrongs don't make a right" - as referenced at the beginning; being abused historically doesn't justify abuse, presently), I still really liked it, in spite of the brazenness of themes touched upon. Plus, (not to be patronising) in all fairness, it's a kid's movie... Nuance would be lost on the target audience & as demonstrated, the relevance of what's communicated remains indisputable. Moreover, it acts as a reaffirmation (to adults / guardians) of the importance in ensuring we learn from past mistakes, to safeguard the future & prevent our offspring from suffering from negative experiences we've previously had to endure. Thus, there's meaning, if you look for it & we could all learn a worthwhile lesson or two.

    Joyful. Lovely. Poignant.
  • andytfwl - 8 July 2023
    Two hours I'll never get back
    It's such a shame. The lead actress, Alisha Weir, is an incredible talent and many of the other children are very, very good. Lashana Lynch is brilliant, and Emma Thompson brings her wonderful skill. And yet, the film just lets it's cast down from start to finish. My wife described it as making her want to pull her eyes out just so she had something to stick in her ears.

    I appreciate a musical will have an abundance of songs but there are just so many - many feel forced in unnecessarily, and many simply don't work. And because of that, the film didn't feel like it flowed. It was simply an assault on the senses.

    I suspect on stage this works, and the list of awards bears this out. On screen, the recipe doesn't translate. If you want Matilda, I would suggest read the book, or go to the theatre.
  • blxsaq - 6 January 2023
    terrible
    The worst movie I've ever seen in my life. The actors played terrible and every 5 seconds a song was pressed I know it's a musical but don't exaggerate especially the songs were ugly.but the most terrible thing was the way they played, half of the actors played sloppily. I don't understand why people like it. The people who did it probably didn't know what a musical was because what was going on there was a massacre.the songs gave the movie a terrible dullness because they were weird and about nothing. The movie itself didn't have that vibe of the matilda and although they wanted it to be similar to the old matilda, they obviously didn't succeed.the whole movie was JUST BORING Matilda's actress herself played it in such a strange and very artificial way.
  • browniesnack57 - 3 January 2023
    A must-see in modern times
    I remember when I read Matilda for the first time in school. And then I watched the film with Danny DeVito and felt the pages come to life before my eyes. This version reimagines the immortal works of Roald Dahl for a new generation of school children. And I am honoured to witness it.

    We see the world through the eyes of a remarkable young girl with an extraordinary mind. It was a nice surprise to have her sing about her life. It felt more like her story; and hers alone, along with Miss Honey. For a split second I admit I worried that the movie simply implied that the escapologist(my new favourite word) was her father and Agatha was the evil step sister( very Disney) but it fulfilled the obligations of the previous iteration to a tee, in time to subvert expectations as to the way Matilda says goodbye to her parents.

    Having them somewhat bittersweetly respect each others priorities, adds a healthy realism to the epic. The final shot of two people of different ethnic background holding hands will live in my memory forever. Love transcends all. That is the message passed on by this hilarious family drama.
  • ebonflow-85471 - 1 January 2023
    This is NOT a remake
    First and foremost people need to get through their thick skulls that this isn't a remake of the 1996 film, which was a good one of course but shouldn't be the go to for judging this one. Put your nostalgia aside.

    The two films are separate and completely different adaptations of the same book, albeit with the latter being adapted from a stage adaptation.

    I feel this one is truer to the original story, and I like it more.

    It was thoroughly enjoyable and fun.

    The music was great, thanks to Tim Minchin, The Revolting Children was a highlight, I particularly loved the symbolism of the red beret (revolution).

    The casting was perfect, especially Matilda and Miss Honey. Emma Thompson was great, my one criticism would be that they needed to make her objectively "ugly" to aid in the portrayal of the villain.

    My 6 year old also really enjoyed it.
  • tonykaze - 31 December 2022
    Perfect!!
    One of the best films I've seen in years, and a wonderful representation of the book. Tim Minchin (a really great musician and comedian) wrote most of the songs, and the casting is incredible. Set design, angles, lighting, use of color, etc. Are all fantastic too. My kids loved it and begged to watch it again immediately after finishing it, which was a first. We've also been listening to the soundtrack in the car.

    The themes and story are definitely the best part though. They are numerous, and illustrated amazingly well. Overall, amazing film for adults, and amazing film for kids, at the same time .
  • spamonline - 29 December 2022
    Outdated
    Roald Dahl's stories didn't age well. What kids are dealing with this kind of issue's nowadays? Great for prior generations' reminiscence, but it holds nothing for my 7 year old daughter.

    And that is a shame, as the acting, filming and quality of this film is marvelous. They've spend serious money on this production.

    I guess, either kids weren't involved in researching the topic of the film or they aren't the targeted audience. I think it is the latter, as this movies age rating is higher than the main characters' age, Which is bewildering.

    The two stars are only for the acting and production quality.
  • breezeatha - 28 December 2022
    Not quite the same magic you get from previous adaptions, but not a bad film
    I have mixed emotions about this. Firstly, I am a BIG fan of the west end musical so I was comparing throughout the whole film. There are many good points of the film. The musical numbers have been greatly throughout , and you can tell it's been greatly considered in how to transfer a stage production into a movie and to present the same emotive experience for the audience. I think the choreography was executed perfectly and the casting was phenomenal. HOWEVER (a big however) The film personally didn't grab me in the way the stage production has. It felt rushed in parts (which is understandable as they are trying to fit a 2. 5 hour production in 2) so the intimate moments between the musical numbers were lost, leaving you feeling slightly detached from the characters. I also couldn't help but reminisce about the 1996 adaption and it's authenticity. This movie was clearly a 'Netflix movie'. A bit uneedingly cgi/green screen happy which irritates me and contributes to the detachment I was feeling throughout. Overall, it was a good try, however the wow factor was lost. I want to think that perhaps I am an adult not understanding the current trends and seeking nostalgia rather than a film that is suited to what the kids want these days. After all this is a kids film and perhaps this was perfect for what they needed.
  • rivonianaidu - 27 December 2022
    Brilliant movie
    Absolutely loved this movie. The musical aspect made it very different to the one from the 1990s but it still had the same special feel that made many fall in love with the first one. All the actors from the main cast to the supporting cast were just brilliant. I didnt even realise Emma Thompson as Miss Trunchball. Alisha Weir and Lashana Lynch were also superb. It's everything I love about British productions especially the ability to ensure a very diverse cast. It was such a lovely watch with the kids. So many wonderful lessons and takeways for them. It's a great movie for the family to watch together.