What is Matilda rated, and is it OK for kids?

Yes. It is rated PG, and nothing we tagged runs past mild.

Matilda (1996)

Film · 1h 38m · Rated PG

Comedy, Family, Fantasy

A brilliant girl with telekinetic powers navigates a whimsical world of cruel adults and kind mentors.

Feel-good and uplifting, with big broad humor. A family watch at a measured pace. Emotionally it carries some weight.

Streaming on YouTube (free).

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Matilda parents guide

It stays inside its PG, with mild language and a few tense moments.

Our estimate: fine from about 7. Rated PG.

Scare: Mildly scary; A few tense or eerie moments.
Jump scares: A couple; One or two sudden jolts.
Gore: No gore
Violence: Some violence; Some fighting or peril.
Sex and nudity: None noted
Language: Mild; Mild words like damn, hell or crap.

How we rate: an AI reads what is known about each title and tags it 0 to 3; we check the tags against a hand-rated set and correct them by hand when readers tell us. Estimates, not a scene-by-scene review. Spot a mistake? Tell us.

Three questions

Is Matilda scary?: Only a little. Matilda has a few tense moments, nothing that follows you to bed.
How gory is Matilda?: No gore and some violence. Squeamish viewers are fine here.
What is Matilda rated, and is it OK for kids?: Yes. It is rated PG, and nothing we tagged runs past mild.

What is Matilda about?

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.

Does it have a happy ending? (spoiler-safe)

Yes. It lands on a happy note.