Matilda(1996)
1996 · Danny DeVito · 98 min
Matilda Wormwood is an brilliant and intelligent little girl. Unfortunately, her parents, Harry and Zinnia, fail to see that fact. As time passes, she finally starts school and has a kind teacher, loyal friends, and a terrifying, sadistic headmistress. As she becomes fed up with the constant cruelty, she discovers she has a special gift that she just might be able to use to outwit the unruly adults around her.
Comedy · Family · Fantasy
7.24.9k votes
TMDB score
1/5
Intensity
0/5
Gore
1/5
Stays with you
How Matilda scares
It starts light and whimsical, following a clever kid outsmarting the grown-ups around her, and stays that way for almost the whole runtime, with only brief bursts of real menace from one exaggerated, cartoonish villain. There's no dread building underneath things and no sense of real danger creeping in "“ any scares are quick, silly, and over fast. It's more of a fun, empowering family story with a scary-looking bully than anything meant to frighten. Great for kids and families, not for anyone looking for an actual horror experience.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, Matilda rates psychological 1/5, visceral 1/5, gore 0/5, lingering effect 1/5, and overall intensity 1/5.
- Psychological: 1 of 5
- Visceral: 1 of 5
- Gore: 0 of 5
- Lingering: 1 of 5
- Intensity: 1 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 15 of 100 — leans Slow burn
Supernatural vs Real-world: 15 of 100 — leans Supernatural
Fun-scary vs Disturbing: 10 of 100 — leans Fun-scary
Intensity over runtime
Shape only — no eventsReveal pacing shapeHide pacing shapeHidden by default — shows where the tension peaks and lets up.
A playful, mostly light family comedy with a few bursts of cartoonish menace that build toward a lively, triumphant final stretch.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 2, 3, 3, 4, 3, 2.
How scary is Matilda?
On The Horror Database's 0–5 intensity scale, Matilda rates 1/5 — gentle by horror standards, building its fear through slow-burn dread rather than shocks. It works on both fronts, unsettling the mind while going for the body. Expect it to be restrained with gore and fun-first. The dread fades once the credits roll.
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