Matilda arrives on DVD, and it still works.
The 1996 adaptation of Roald Dahl’s novel follows a young girl who discovers she can move objects with her mind after being abandoned by her parents. She finds kindness at the school where she is sent, and she faces cruelty from the headmistress Miss Trunchbull. Danny DeVito directs and stars as the villain, and Mara Wilson plays the title character.
Mara Wilson carries the film. She delivers lines with wit that a grown-up actor could not manage, and she makes the character’s intelligence feel real rather than staged. Her performance anchors a movie that could easily have tipped into pure absurdity.
Danny DeVito plays Miss Trunchbull as a physical force, a woman whose presence fills a room before she even speaks. His performance is over-the-top in a way that suits the material, and he commits fully to the role. He is the reason the villain feels genuinely threatening rather than merely cartoonish.
The school setting is where the film finds its rhythm. The children’s fear of Trunchbull is palpable, and the classroom scenes capture a sense of dread that feels genuine rather than forced. The film knows exactly when to be funny and when to be quiet.
Richard Dreyfuss plays Matilda’s father, and Pam Ferris plays her mother. Both performances are solid, though neither gets enough screen time to leave a lasting impression. Embeth Davidtz plays Miss Honey, and her scenes give the film some of its best moments.
The scene where Matilda moves objects with her mind is the film’s centerpiece. It is handled with restraint, and the effect lands precisely because the film has spent its runtime building up the stakes around this moment. It is a technical achievement, but it also serves the story.
The pacing does sag in the middle stretch. Some scenes run longer than they need to, and a few subplots get dropped without resolution. This is a minor complaint, but it is noticeable in a film that otherwise holds attention tightly.
The film’s technical details include a director and star who both take lead roles in the production:
| Detail | Specification |
|---|---|
| Director | Danny DeVito |
| Star | Mara Wilson |
| Length | 97 minutes |
| Release Year | 1996 |
Matilda is a film that understands its source material. It is a children’s movie that respects its audience, and it rewards repeat viewings. It is not perfect, but it is consistently entertaining.
Trailer, via FT Depot.
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