In ‘Matilda the Musical’, a young girl navigates her life, lost in stories of her own, while she fights her controlling parents and a strict headmistress at school. The movie is now streaming on Netflix.
Story
Mr. & Mrs. Wormwood welcome an unexpected child into their home in the form of Matilda. The couple never loved Matilda, which led her to find comfort in books and stories.
One fine day, two school inspectors came asking about her education. Mr. & Mrs. Wormwood get fined for not sending Matilda to a proper school. This leads Mr. Wormwood to admit her to Crunchem Hall, a school run by Headmistress Agatha Trunchbull.
Matilda walks into her new school hoping for all kinds of new experiences, only to later realize that this school is no less than a prison. Miss Trunchbull treats kids harshly and keeps them in line in order to maintain discipline.
As time goes by, Matilda learns how things work here at Crunchem Hall. Miss Trunchbull targets whoever she likes whenever things don’t go her way.
At the same time, Matilda also starts discovering the kind of brain she possesses and the powers locked within it. These powers may allow her to free the students and herself from Trunchbull’s reign.
Performances
Alisha Weir rules the film as Matilda Wormwood. Despite playing an extraordinary child with superpowers, Weir manages to put forth the characteristics of a normal child as well. This way, almost every kid out there would relate to Matilda to some extent.
The same goes for all the child artists in this film. The kids are being themselves. They plan to accomplish their childish goals when they become adults, and the viewers will be taken back to their childhoods upon watching them.
Emma Thompson, who plays Miss Agatha Trunchbull, struggles to express the cruel nature of her character. She hardly comes out as a bully, and it seems like the writers have been really careful with Trunchbull’s character.
Lashana Lynch, who plays Miss Jennifer Honey, is the comforting character in this film. Lynch perfectly portrays a sense of calm and hope wherever she goes.
At the same time, when it comes to standing up against Miss Trunchbull, Lynch fails to display the resentment her character has against her.
Positives
For the very first half, the film is certainly a musical treat. The songs do help establish the main character’s nature and her surroundings. They are detailed and don’t stick to one aspect.
The way the story has been written will definitely create interest among the audience. Matilda’s character certainly draws everyone towards her.
The movie treats its subplots well. Oftentimes, in movies like these, they don’t hold much importance. Here in ‘Matilda the Musical’, every other scene at Crunchem Hall feels like an experience.
Let it be Nigel trying to hide from Miss Trunchbull or Brucie being punished for eating a cake. All of these scenes are enthralling and make a viewer think how cruel Miss Trunchbull can get.
Negatives
‘Matilda the Musical’, at times, forgets its tone. In its entirety, the film feels like a regular children’s movie. It doesn’t hint much at the fantasy element.
Still, there are some scenes, such as Miss Trunchbull throwing a student up in the air and out of the school’s gate, that are quite strange and don’t go well with the film’s original tone.
Lastly, in the second half, the film kind of loses the magic of keeping the viewers tuned in, as it has already established how far a character would go. They are definitely not going to cross the limit and do something out of the ordinary, and that kills the thrill.
Verdict
‘Matilda the Musical’ is a fun-filled musical that brings up unexpectedly fresh and strong performances from child artists. If one can tolerate some of the odd scenes, it’s a warm and fuzzy watch for the weekend.
Matilda the Musical
Director: Matthew Warchus
Date Created: 2022-12-25 13:30
3