The first thing I said to my friend after coming out the cinema from watching this film was 'Why haven't we seen this on stage?'
I am a very nostalgic person and the 1996 film Matilda will always be my number one go-to Daryl film and when I think of all the characters those are the ones I can always picture in my head, especially the Trunchbull played by Pam Ferris.
Part way through watching the 2022 version it was easy to view this as its OWN film, every second of it, these children, the dancers and the actors, the set designers and filmmakers OWNED the set. Powerful song set with amazing dance and creative scenes.
It honestly did feel like a stage show was given a film, they used every camera angle and element given to them that film can give to help essentially help elevate a stage show, the intro was enough to prove this to me. Rotating platforms, dance sequences that continue seamlessly through editing and camera angles.
I do however have one gripe about the film which, by some, would be 'controversial' would be the choice of Emma Thompson as Agatha Trunchbull. No doubt she is an amazing actress and I DO think she brought some level of characterisation of the Trunchbull, however I feel that its a little tiresome using Thompson for roles such as this, I feel like somehow its lacking and that there could have been MORE given to the roll by someone who could play off as someone scarier, Thompson, even with the makeup seems to still have a certain nature about her that I don't believe to be cruel or evil like the Trunchbull was meant to be.
Apart from that, its an amazing film and one that has ultimately convinced me to go see Matilda on stage next time I'm in London.
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