Movie review
November 25, 2022 · 117 min · PG
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
The story constantly pushes a young girl’s intelligence and courage as she leads “revolting children” against cruel parents and a tyrannical headmistress. Girlboss rebellion and kids standing up to abusive authority drive the whole plot and musical numbers. Miss Honey is race-swapped to Black actress Lashana Lynch in a traditionally white British role. No modern political sermons, but the empowerment themes are loud and recurring.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical.
Woke representation / casting
One clear audience-visible race swap (Lashana Lynch as Miss Honey) in a British story world where the character is canonically white; draws some diversity complaints but not the dominant focus.
Woke political dialogue
Almost none; no modern activist lines or current-events references – dialogue stays in fairy-tale revenge territory.
Identity-driven story themes
Girl-led empowerment and “revolting children” rebellion against authority is central to the plot engine and musical numbers; clearly visible recurring theme.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Standard story-world attack on abusive school and bad parents; no modern activist reframing into patriarchy, systemic oppression, or present-day identity politics.
Woke character or canon changes
Race swap for Miss Honey deviates from book canon; other minor story tweaks exist but nothing ideologically overhaul-level.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Fringe social-media gripes on the race swap; no major sustained backlash or mainstream “too woke” debate.
Creator track record context
Minchin has spoken against woke excesses and cancel culture; other key creators show no pattern of strong identity-activist projects.
Production
