Matilda review: Film brings out Dahl's dark side
eople often talk about the darkness in Roald Dahl's children's books – and it's true, he doesn't hold back on references to bullying, poverty, death, and the dangers of being addicted to chewing gum. What's talked about less often, though, is how much the darkness is balanced by Dahl's jovial, conversational tone, Quentin Blake's cheery, scribbly drawings, and the warm, loving parental figures that their young characters invariably meet. These vital ingredients ensure that however scary Dahl's stories can get, no one is going to be traumatised by them. The same can't be said of the latest adaptation of his work, Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical, which premiered at the London Film Festival on Wednesday. As close to Stephen King as it is to Dahl, it's only a couple of tweaks away from being the year's most disturbing gothic horror movie.