Film Review – Matilda the Musical

“Matilda” began life as a book by author Roald Dahl, with his 1988 endeavor becoming a hit with young readers, detailing the life of a neglected child and her experiences with those who want to love her and those who would prefer to forget her. The book has been brought to life through radio programs and audiobooks, and it was previously handed a cinematic adaptation in 1996, with director Danny DeVito a natural choice to summon Dahl’s mischief and madness. Now there’s “Matilda the Musical,” which carries the highly successful British stage musical (with book by Dennis Kelly and music/lyrics by Tim Minchin) to the screen, adding song and dance to Dahl’s original tale. And director Matthew Warchus (“Pride”) is absolutely committed to preserving such theatrical energy, presenting a lively take on the original text, handling the scale of musical theater while preserving delicate emotional connections between characters, crafting a highly entertaining explosion of kid-sized feelings. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com