I loved matilda it was a funny movie about a girl who has a family that hates her but in the end she realizes she has powers and she gets adopted and uses her powers for good against the evil principle at her school. this teaches kids how it can be fun to learn ( or tries too) and teaches kids about how lying and cheating is a bad thing
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Matilda
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings(Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)
Not age appropriate for kids under 5, age appropriate for kids over 8; suggested age 8. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Offbeat fantasy gem, but too dark for young kids.
Themes in this movie include: family relationships
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 8 and Up
The good stuff
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Educational value:
What to watch out for
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Role models :
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Violence & scariness:
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Sexy stuff:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
About Matilda
Parents need to know that this often surreal family movie based on the book by Roald Dahl includes a lot of cartoonish violence, nearly all of it perpetrated by a bullying school principal. Children who displease the evil principal are put in "the pokey," a dark closet lined with nails and broken glass. When Matilda's parents aren't neglecting her, they're berating her ... so she decides to punish them. But she also stands up for the principal's victims. The film explores themes of youthful independence and personal identity.
Read our full review by M. Faust
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about movies based on books. After seeing the movie, are you curious to read the book? Or did reading the book make you curious to see the movie? What makes a movie a "good" or "bad" adaptation of a book?
- Is Matilda a good role model? What about the other characters?
Our Members Say
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Good role models
great movie for 8+
- I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
Boring film fine for little girls. Will bore adults.
In this film, almost everyone is mean. Matilda gets powers late in the film. I hated this film.
- I rate this title off for age 9 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Excessive consumerism
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
DO NOT SEE!!!
BAD MOVIE!!!
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
Awesome story
I think this movie was awesome!! I think kids any age can watch it. They have great actors. I loved the principle. She played a good part. The first time I saw this move things jumped out at me. The thing that I didn't like was my cat was terrified of the movie.
- I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
- I rate this title off for age 2 and give it
uhhh
comonn!! its the CHOKEY! not the POKEY
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
I love this movie! A great story of magic and paying back abusive adults! A great movie for all ages!
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
Very good
I have sean it so many times but it is sill good (my sis who is 4 has sean it and she thinks that it is good)
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
Suprising
My mom rented this movie and I didn't expect it to be this scary! It is really awsome and I wouldn't let anyone under 9 watch it.
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
I lost six brain cells watching this
This show is great i want all age.
- I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it
Disturbing Meanness
Frequently reassuring my nearly 10 year old kids that parents and principals would never act so meanly to kids, this movie was darker than I had imagined it would be. I wish I would have previewed it in its entirety first. Leather whips, children hurled across schoolyards, a closet full of knives that children are forced into, and children having to hide in fear while no adult seems to care enough to protect them seems over the top. Although Matilda perseveres in the end, it is through magical powers that are used to frighten mean adults into submission. Other adults in the story could not stand up to bullying adults, or didn't care enough to pay attention... and Matilda used her powers to get even, to humiliate, and bully back. The parents give Matilda up for adoption at the end, as they are being sought by police for theft. The humor of just rewards was there, but overshadowed, I felt by the darkness of the movie.
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
Super Great
This an excellent movie. I really enjoy the book also.
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
Awesome for people of all ages!
Brilliant! I loved this film!Good for everyone no matter how old. I think this movie is determined to become a classic Movie/Book. Roald Dahl rocks!
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
I think it is a little too boring.
I liked the beggining when Matilda was shown growing up and making pancakes,however I do not like how the father sold stolen car parts and how they both ignored Matilda.
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
A good movie
Matilda was pretty good, but I didn't like the way that Matilda's parents paid no attention to her, but other than that, this movie was good.
- I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
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