Matilda the Musical Review: An Extravaganza

All streaming services across the globe did a very good job when it came to making sure that all their viewers that something to watch this Holiday season. Netflix came on top when it came to delivering content during this time, no matter what the genre was. Whether it was Tim Burton’s Wednesday, or Lindsay Lohan’s return in Falling for Christmas. There was something for everyone. However, hands down, one of the most anticipated titles of 2022 on Netflix was Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical, and it did not disappoint in the slightest.

Matilda the Musical directed by Mathew Warchus was the perfect mix of music, nostalgia, and a whole lot of fun. This movie was proof that if there was any classic that needed to be turned into a musical, it was Matilda. Matilda the Musical was the perfect Christmas watch, especially if you had a nice evening either by yourself or with your loved ones because this movie was for anyone and everyone. Even though Christmas is over, the holiday season still continues and we highly recommend watching Matilda the Musical, and we can guarantee that this movie will make it to your list of top comfort movies of all time! So dive into this review whether or not you watched Matilda the Musical, and we’ll tell you why this was a brilliant addition to the 2022 Netflix roster. 

Matilda the Musical: The Stellar Cast and Their Performances 

One of the best things about Matilda the Musical was its cast. When we talked about this movie earlier, we had mentioned that a bunch of talented cast members was coming together to make Matilda the Musical a reality and they have all pulled it off seamlessly. The run time of Matilda the Musical is close to two hours, which might seem like a lot compared to the usual 90-minute movies we’re so used to. However, despite it being longer, Matilda the Musical was an effortless watch, and before you knew it, the end credits rolled on your screen, making you want more. While we could go on and on about each perfect frame of Matilda the Musical, for this part, we want to focus on the characters, and we’re going to start with none other than Miss Trunchbull. 

Miss Trunchbull was played by none other than Emma Thompson herself, and she was unrecognizable in this movie! Although we were aware Thompson was playing this role, we did double-check just to be sure. If you have watched Matilda before, you’d know that the evil headmistress is the movie’s villain, which also continues in Matilda the Musical. From start to finish, Miss Trunchbull makes sure that the kids, teachers, and viewers hate her, she’s almost like a car crash that you can’t look away from. Emma Thompson has done a brilliant job embodying this character and has truly put the fear of school in all of us, even those who never have to go to school again, that’s just how brilliant she was. We hated the character, but we loved the way Emma Thompson took on this character.

Moving along to the polar opposite of Miss Trunchbull, aka Miss Honey, played by Lashana Lynch. Miss Honey was a ray of sunshine amongst the dark clouds, her smile lit up the whole room, and she became the teacher that we wish we all had at some point in our lives. From the get-go, Miss Honey recognized Matilda’s potential and never once stopped defending the children from Miss Trunchbull’s wrath, no matter how deadly. Lynch did a brilliant off pulling the role of Miss Honey and went on to become one of the most loved characters of Matilda the Musical. However, we need to talk about the star of the show and the most loved character, aka Matilda herself.

As the title suggests, Matilda the Musical revolves around a young girl named Matilda who is smart, kind, and extraordinary. The reason Matilda’s character is so important in this movie is that it teaches us two things, the first being, it is important to stand up to bullies, and second, every action has consequences. Matilda’s presence was felt strongly throughout the movie, and in every scene that a part of, the spotlight remained on her. This important character was played by Alisha Weir, who is primarily a musical artist, but we are more than certain that Matilda the Musical is going to kickstart her career in the movie industry, and we can’t wait to see more of her. Matilda gave hope to all the other students at school, and as much as the school needed her, she needed the school too. Also, let’s not forget, Matilda is going to make it a trend to start reading books again instead of simply using a kindle r scrolling on TikTok! 

Miss Honey, Miss Trunchbull, and Matilda were the three most frequently appeared characters in Matilda the Musical, however, we can’t forget the other secondary and tertiary characters who made this movie even more better! Starting with Matilda’s awful parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood. They were truly evil parents who resented Matilda from the day she was born because they wanted a baby boy but instead were blessed with a smart and beautiful girl.

To make up for the cruelty, we have Mrs. Phelps who ran a mini library and often loaned Matilda books. She also kept Matilda company and listened to her stories, no matter the happy, sad, or tragic ending. Of course, a special mention to all the kids who supported Matilda and appreciated her candor and smartness instead of bullying her. Together, all these characters played by some brilliant cast members completed Matilda the Musical. 

Matilda the Musical: An Experience 

The reason we say Matilda the Musical was an experience in itself will be explored in more detail as you continue reading this section. Musicals have a way of touching your heart, unlike any other movie. Musicals tend to be a little extravagant, and despite having a cold and chilly background with the school, which was the main location, Matilda the Musical managed to turn itself into an extravaganza. 

Matilda’s art of storytelling was transformed into some beautiful visuals as she told Mrs. Phelps the story of the escapologist and the acrobat. The production spared no expense when it came to creating an experience of a lifetime, just so we could dive into these stories with Matilda, and we were hooked on it just as much as Mrs. Phelps was. Crunchem Hall Elementary School was one of the main locations, and although the school was dark and gloomy, all thanks to Miss Trunchbull, the creative team of Matilda the Musical managed to make that interesting too. The road to the school, Miss Honey, and the songs were a few of the things that made the school what it was. Towards the end, after the rule of Miss Trunchbull ended, we see the school transform into something new altogether, with all the colors in the world, and that scene truly became the perfect ending to a brilliant movie. Special shout-out to Matilda’s family home, despite her dark-hearted parents, their house was shockingly colorful, a perfect contrast to their personalities. 

Speaking of special shout-outs, we cannot forget the music and the songs, which were the crux of remaking this classic story. There were several songs in Matilda the Musical, each of which captured the mood of the scene. From The Hammer, to Naughty, to When I Grown Up, and The Smell of Rebellion, each and every song was catchy and it’ll make you want to watch Matilda the Musical again so you can sing along the second time around. All songs of Matilda the Musical are available to play on Spotify too! 

Undoubtedly, Matilda, the Musical was an experience for the entirety of the movie. In the span of two days, Netflix has blessed us with Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and Matilda the Musical, setting the viewers up for the perfect holiday season. We recommend watching Glass Onion first, and then moving on to Matilda the Musical! 

Conclusion

We’re hoping that by the end of this article, we have convinced you to stream Matilda the Musical on Netflix right now if you haven’t watched it already. We understand that adaptations of classics can either go well or very horribly, but we can assure you that Matilda the Musical is the former. Whether you watch it for the songs, or Miss Honey, Matilda, or even Emma Thompson’s brilliant performance, this movie will make it to your list of comfort movies of 2022, or even an all-time favorite.