Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical 2022

Whoever wrote this adaption must have been on something strong. I suppose I wouldn't have been an easy audience. I'm a big fan of Roald Dahl's books and the 1996 "Matilda" is a perfect film. However, I kept a very open mind watching it. (While the 1971 Wonka is perfect too, I also very much enjoyed the 2005 Depp version too. It is possible to do excellent re-makes.)

This version of "Matilda" could have been so much better if the songs weren't so forgettable and if they didn't have that strange psychedelic storytelling where Matilda predicts Miss Honey's past. That never happened in the book and it spoiled this version and made it incredibly boring.

Like so many bad films, it was very much a missed opportunity. The cast were all fantastic and played the parts how you imagine them all to be when reading the book, even if you haven't seen the original '96 version.

With the exception of our dinner lady at school, Mrs Mossop, I didn't think anybody could play Miss Trunchbull as well as Pam Ferris in the original but Emma Thompson does actually do an incredible job. That being said, it would have made more sense for the kids to be singing and dancing around the Trunchbull. I don't think the Trunchbull would be singing and dancing!

The strange writing and some of the directing of this film really let it down. The songwriting wasn't particularly great either. Some might really enjoy this film so it might be worth a watch but it's not for me. I'm sending my DVD to the charity shop.

This is me bordering into "unpopular opinion" territory again.

I don't know what it is with movies this year. Most of those I really looked forward to ended up being a disappointed. I enjoyed the book and I grew up loving the 90's adaptation and I really wanted to love this one, the trailer looked great and I generally love musicals, so I don't know exactly what it is here, that did not sit well with me. Maybe it was the bizarre singing babies opening scene already (creepy af).

I never really got around to listen to the musical soundtrack or even watch it, so I went into this adaptation without much knowledge (only song I knew beforehand was 'Revolting Children') and while the music was mostly fine, I found the songs painfully forgettable.

The actors were okay, I guess. Matilda's parents were funny, but didn't get enough screentime. Lashana Lynch was lovely as Miss Honey (what a voice!) though I found her a bit too meek for most of the film's run. I usually love Emma Thompson, but she didn't really do it for me as the Trunchbull. Pam Farris was fierce and scary, yet oddly funny and entertaining while Thompson nailed the mean-spirited nature, but failed to evolve above that. Her portrayal felt oddly safe. Young Alisha Weir certainly has screen presence and will go her way (and I don't want to be too critical of child actors, it's more the direction and writing I'm blaming here) but Matilda often felt too serious or even too bratty compared to her book counterpart or the relatable portrayal by Mara Wilson, who made her extraordinarily endearing.

I know I shouldn't compare adaptations too much, but I just can't help it. This one was clearly a high value production spectacle but it lacked the heart and soul of the 90s film. The tone was all over the place, it was too long and oddly boring at times.

It had it's moments but overall it lacked the certain something.

And really, wtf was that added subplot about Matilda's story that turned out to be about Miss Honey's parents? That was just bizarre and unnecessary.

This update was absolutely positively marvelous! Instantly one of my favorite movies of all time! It was a rendition that exceeded expectations and surpassed the original childhood classic and made my inner child extremely joyful! My day was immediately filled with joy after watching this magical musical and with this movie being a low-key hood VHS classic, I felt so included as the reassurance of the concept, that theater is blind was in full effect! Seriously, I am 31 and enamored with this film: my favorite improvement was the dual story and the dramatic moment when they connected that sent chills through my spine due to the lead actresses exceptional delivery!

The climax was absolutely climatic, dramatic, satisfying, and beautiful all at the same time! The spelling B song and choreography was remarkable, a certified hit surpassing my previous favorite alphabetic song 'alphabetical slaughter' by Papoose, so to me they spit fire bar after fire bar while visually taking the viewer to school with the overall delivery! I actually started crying at the final song, possibly because I felt it was so uplifting for those of us whom have suffered and have been beaten up throughout difficult times in life (that many viewers whom never were involved in any unpleasant struggles may not understand) & was encouraged by the message delivered there.

I didn't mind the parts they opted not to include as primary concepts because I feel they have created a far more relatable film, as a result of removing such demonstration of a hideous household & so I felt removing that (child vs family) dynamic made it even more appropriate for children... I found it visually appealing in all regards, as the color grading, lenses, and camera angles used were extremely high quality. The pace of the film was also perfectly smooth. The underlying musical score was top notch and the overall casting was spot on for this musical! Therefore thi dazzling gem of a movie easily climbs into my top 5 all time (where I am finding that PG-13 type content seems to be overtaking my list), joining Hamilton as the second amazing musical to outshine other genres.

Nostalgic yet relatable throughout, without being too goody-goody in terms of predictability, I always appreciate modern content that keeps you unsure of what will happen next..I feel many who didn't rate this at least a 9/10, must have been expecting a carbon copy of the original in which case we all know that they could simply turn that one on instead. Nevertheless the only drawbacks I found in this film were that the teachers songs were pretty weak in terms of quality yet nevertheless they helped with the overall pace of this film.

I'm excited to see what this actresses is capable of as she grows, just as I have found myself checking in on the original Matilda actress throughout the year (keep in mind, I was already a fan of Matilda, having seen it a hundred times on VHS, but never considered it a masterpiece or anything)... Well done everyone! I now absolutely need to go search and see if the phrase "I've been busy!" (that sent thrilling nostalgic chills through my mind for some reason) was indeed a line from the original... Because if my theory (having not seen the original in many years) is true and it's not from some other source, then mannnnnnn that line is truly iconic! Fingers crossed it was so I don't feel I over exaggerated the significance of that moment!

I love the entire spirit & character of Matilda as created by Ronald Dahl, and these actors once again absolutely crushed it! I can't wait to introduce this magic to children of my own, but for now I get to enjoy this experience as if a big child, and hope all my brothers and sisters find this gem & watch alongside their children as well!

“Is it a bully? Because you know, the best way to deal with bullies is to tell someone. Straight away. They thrive on silence.”

With a story like Matilda, I often forget how dark and sad it is. The cruelty and isolation towards children are a bold portrayal, especially with it being in a book for children. This new version of the story comes close to matching the feeling I have toward the book.

This new adaption is on the stage musical, which I was lucky enough to watch on Broadway in New York City six years ago, and it was the most memorable theatrical experience I’ve ever had. The energy, the creativity, and the scope of it all were like no other. So, this movie does a decent job of duplicating that fast and sharp energy with its filmmaking, performers, and editing. Although, I only got into the vibe of the songs when the song ‘revolting children’ kicked into gear, which only happened towards the end of the movie.

The filmmaking and editing were irritating at points, as the film is going for a creative visual style and matches the stage production, but it wasn’t the same. The movie is tonal all over the place, not quite balancing the childlike wonder and the dark stuff evenly.

But the child performances were decent for the most part. They excel, of course, in the musical segments thou. Alisha Weir, who plays the title character, did a solid job as a kid actor, and I was impressed with some of her line delivery.

Emma Thompson plays Miss Trunchbull, a role I assume she loved every wicked second of it. I loved her line, “I’ve been busy!”. With actor Stephen Graham, who plays Mr. Wormwood, you get to see another side to him, as he’s more camp and over the top, with his bright, big, white teeth almost trying to escape his mouth. Andrea Riseborough, who plays Mrs. Wormwood, is somebody I didn’t recognize at the start - this woman has range.

Lashana Lynch is great as the timid but sweet Miss Honey. She surprisingly gives an emotional performance. From James Bond to then ‘The Woman King’, and now this, Lynch is someone to keep an eye out for in the future.

While the movie didn’t leave a massive impression on me after it was over, from what I saw, I can say it was an enjoyable piece of British entertainment, which I sense others like to find enjoyment in it.

Taking cues from the DeVito film while putting its own spin on things, this film more than lives up to the musical, the previous film, and the book it spawns from. Fully embracing that it's a musical with killer cherography and heightened and whimsical sets, it keeps the key element of not sugarcoating the cruelty at play but amplifying it to be as big as any child feels it to be. Thompson lives up to her predecessor by being larger than life and all too real all at once. Lashana Lynch is a wonder, a bleeding and aching heart you can't look away from. And Weir matches the high standard Wilson set, being a charming symbol of the inner strength and righteousness a child can have intrinsically while still being a child in need of help and longing for connection.

The music is great and catchy, but that last number really hit me. It captures why Miss Honey's and Matilda's relationship has been so enduring for so many generations, and really hits home one of Matilda's key themes. Blood is not the key factor. Love is. And out there is someone who will love you, fight for you, and always be holding your hand.