Matilda the Musical is Netflix's musical adaptation of the original film, “Matilda”. It has the same classic tale set to memorable tunes.

Even if you haven't seen the stage production of Matilda, the story will be familiar to you from the film adaptation of Roald Dahl's book.

Alisha Weir's character, Matilda Wormwood, is the daughter of apathetic adults (Andrea Riseborough and Stephen Graham). We find out that the Wormwoods haven't been taking her to school. So, Mrs. Trunchbull, the headmistress of the strict and repressive Crunchem Hall, starts to take her there (Emma Thompson).

Matilda makes pals at school, finds an ally in her teacher Miss Honey (Lashana Lynch), and learns to control her telekinetic abilities.

Stories about defiant youth are popular because all children experience pressure from their elders. Discipline and maturity go hand in hand.

Some children face actual abuse. Matilda is a fantasy of personal empowerment in the face of the evil Trunchbull and the careless Wormwoods.

Trunchbull's domineering behavior in the classroom suggests that she suffered mistreatment in the past. The primary idea is that bullies are hurtful individuals and by standing up to them, Matilda has started a revolution.

As far as Dahl's stories go, Matilda is surprisingly realistic. There are no Oompa Loompas or talking animals. But, Matilda and her classmates do encounter certain problems that are perhaps a little too mature for their age group.

With Ms. Trunchbull as your PE teacher, you can expect a full-scale military obstacle course, complete with blasts. This is not out of place in an Oliver Stone film. But with kids running through it, it takes on a darkly comical tone.

Even though Trunchbull stretches a child's ears by pulling on them, the physiology of humans is otherwise fairly true. Chokeys, Trunchbull's version of solitary confinement, look like crudely constructed iron maidens and imply savagery.

So, it does reflect Dahl's concern for the safety of youngsters. Chokeys would make children feel helpless in the face of nasty authority figures. We hope that Child Protective Services would learn of any school using them.

Thompson's appearance is drastically different due to her prosthetics. For comedic effect in her role as Nanny McPhee, she uses prosthetics. These, however, are entirely realistic and make Trunchbull look like a fearful human person.

The pastel hospital, the flashy Wormwood mansion, and the terrible metal of Crunchem are all captured by the set design. Stop the movie and take in the demoralizing posters on the hallway walls.

Several of the young actors and actresses in this adaptation are without a resolution. Matilda makes friends with Lavender (Rei Yamauchi Fulker). They don't hang out much throughout the film, the queen bee clique known as “the Prefects” doesn't cause any problems.

Even though they weren't key players in the 1996 movie, audiences may wonder if the ensemble was given more screen time than they would have in the original musical.

Matilda rarely employs her telekineses. There are a few major visual effects set pieces. The rest are just a few objects being thrown around. By 2022, CGI will have advanced significantly from its 1996 counterpart.

Adding music to Matilda isn't going to ruin it if you enjoyed it before. If this is a child's first encounter with the narrative, it does a good job of encapsulating the important ideas from Dahl's novel.

Matilda the Musical is now streaming on Netflix.