Netflix's 'The Twits' (2025): A Visually Stunning but Narratively Muddled Adaptation

Roald Dahl’s ‘The Twits’ has long been a dark, gleefully grotesque cornerstone of children's literature, a testament to the unadulterated joy of nastiness. So, when Netflix announced a stop-motion animated adaptation directed by Phil Johnston, known for his work on 'Zootopia' and 'Ralph Breaks the Internet', anticipation was naturally sky-high.

Coupled with a stellar voice cast featuring talents like Kumail Nanjiani, Helen Mirren, Margo Martindale, and Stephen Merchant, the stage seemed set for a truly memorable reimagining. Unfortunately, while the 2025 rendition dazzles visually and boasts admirable intentions, it ultimately trips over its own ambition, losing the wicked heart of Dahl's original tale.

From a technical standpoint, ‘The Twits’ is nothing short of a triumph.

The stop-motion animation is exquisitely crafted, bringing the squalor and ghastly grandeur of Mr. and Mrs. Twit's world to life with vivid detail. The grotesque charm of the characters is perfectly rendered, making them both repulsive and fascinating to behold. The voice cast, as expected, delivers stellar performances.

Helen Mirren and Kumail Nanjiani embody the eponymous couple with a perfect blend of malice and pathetic pettiness, while Margo Martindale and Stephen Merchant lend their distinct comedic timing to the supporting roles. Initially, the film does a commendable job of capturing Dahl's signature dark humor, particularly in the initial pranks and the sheer, petty meanness of the Twits.

The film attempts to add layers to the narrative, providing a backstory to the Twits' failed marriage and their aspiration to join high society.

This effort to give depth to inherently awful characters is an intriguing concept, moving beyond Dahl's simpler, more direct portrayal of pure wickedness. It also introduces themes of environmentalism and animal freedom, subtly weaving them into the animals' plight. These additions, while noble in their intent to resonate with a modern audience, ultimately prove to be the film's undoing.

The narrative begins to falter significantly in its latter half.

The pacing becomes erratic, and the story feels increasingly disjointed as it tries to juggle too many disparate themes. The focus shifts from the Twits' inherent, joyous cruelty to external motivations, diluting their unadulterated nastiness. Instead of simply being awful for the sake of it, their actions become tied to a quest for social acceptance, making them less terrifyingly whimsical and more...

misunderstood. This fundamental change undermines the very essence of Dahl’s creation, transforming a tale of comeuppance for pure evil into a more convoluted commentary on societal pressures and environmental ethics.

What made Dahl’s ‘The Twits’ so captivating was its unapologetic embrace of the bizarre and the malicious, culminating in a satisfyingly dark and mischievous end for the terrible duo.

The 2025 adaptation, however, feels compelled to preach, wrapping up its story with messages that, while heartwarming, feel tacked on and out of place. The iconic Roly-Poly bird, a pivotal character in the book, is regrettably underutilized, further highlighting the narrative's struggle to stay true to its source while forging new ground.

The climax, intended to be a triumph of liberation, feels more like a confused scramble, losing the poetic justice of the original.

In conclusion, Netflix's 'The Twits' (2025) is a visually magnificent spectacle with a heart in the right place, but a compass pointing in the wrong direction. While the animation is breathtaking and the voice acting superb, its attempts to modernize and deepen the narrative ultimately dilute the dark, mischievous magic of Roald Dahl's classic.

It's a film that offers plenty to admire on the surface, but regrettably fails to capture the deliciously wicked soul of its source material, leaving audiences with a beautiful but ultimately muddled adaptation.