Matilda [PG]

Matilda is a girl who has been unfortunate enough to have been born into a family that does not understand or appreciate her. If they had paid any attention to her at all, her parents would have realised that Matilda is incredibly bright and has a power all her own. With her parents constantly yelling at her and her principal terrorising her school, Matilda soon discovers that it is sometimes better to not get mad…but get even. 

Based on the classic story by Roald Dahl, Matilda is a wonderful family film that really stands the test of time. Like The Goonies or Nanny McPhee, this movie is both a visual and an intellectual treat that can be enjoyed by an audience of all ages. 

Matilda is a girl who has been unfortunate enough to have been born into a family that doesn’t understand or appreciate her. If they had paid any attention to her at all, her parents would have noticed that she is an incredibly bright girl with a special power all her own. With her parents constantly yelling at her, her brother bullying her incessantly, and her vile principal terrorising her school, Matilda is about to learn that sometimes it’s better to not get mad… but get even. 

This is just a really fun family movie. It’s filled with a touch of horror, memorable characters, comedy, and intellectual jokes for the adults in the audience. My hat has to go off to Danny DeVito who not only acted in this film, but produced and directed it as well. Rock on Danny! Mara Wilson stars as Matilda and she was just lovely, but without a doubt the real star of the show is Pam Ferris, who most people will recognise as Aunt Marge in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Here she stars as the feared and completely insane Principal Trunchball and she is absolutely brilliant. She is just awful! Bullying, violent, aggressive, and really, genuinely terrifying, Pam’s performance was spot on, exactly like one of the caricatures out of Dahl’s book. 

Starring Rhea Perlman, Embeth Ferris, Tracey Walter, and Paul Reubens, Matilda is a fantastic family movie filled with caricatured horror, memorable characters, magic, and fun. It’s a perfect film for a light afternoon in with the family and can be enjoyed by people of any age.