Roald Dahl’s The Twits has always been the black sheep of his bibliography: a book so aggressively mean-spirited and devoid of traditional heroes that it seemed almost impossible to adapt into a feature-length film. In 2025, director Phil Johnston, the creative force behind Ralph Breaks the Internet, has finally taken on the challenge for Netflix Animation Studios. Produced in partnership with The Roald Dahl Story Company, this version of the story expands the scope significantly, moving beyond the simple prank war of the book into a sprawling adventure set in the unappealingly named American town of Triperot. While the film did not have a traditional theatrical box office run due to its Netflix distribution, its arrival on October 17, 2025, marked a major milestone in the streaming giant’s quest to dominate modern animation.
The film boasts an eclectic and inspired cast, led by Margo Martindale as the broad-bottomed Credenza S. Twit and Johnny Vegas as the paunchy, beard-infested James T. Twit. They are joined by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Ryan Lopez as the orphans Beesha and Bubsy, while a star-studded animal ensemble includes Natalie Portman as Mary Muggle-Wump and Emilia Clarke as Pippa. The premise finds the disgusting Twit couple operating "Twitlandia," a theme park so dangerous it looks like a surefire way to contract tetanus. When the park is condemned, the Twits launch a populist political campaign to "make Triperot fun again," forcing two orphans and a family of magical monkeys to become just as tricky as the villains to save their city. This film matters because it attempts to modernize Dahl’s morbid sensibilities for a 2020s audience, proving that the author’s "politeness-be-damned" approach still has teeth.
Story and Screenplay: High-Brow Themes and Low-Brow Hot Dog Water
The narrative quality of The Twits is a fascinating, if sometimes messy, balancing act. Writers Phil Johnston and Meg Favreau realized early on that Dahl’s original story was far too slight to sustain a 102-minute movie, so they engineered a complex plot involving political satire and environmental degradation. The screenplay introduces the idea of a town in "economic strife" where the citizens are desperate for a sense of joy. The Twits leverage this desperation, promising financial salvation and fun while actually disregarded evidence of the "neon-green, radioactive hot dog meat" they are leaking into the streets. This layer of the script is blisteringly funny and surprisingly sharp, offering a critique of leaders who sow division and offer "thoughts and prayers" instead of actual solutions.
However, the pacing and rhythm of the story suffer slightly when it shifts focus to the orphans. While Beesha and Bubsy are likable enough, their scenes often feel like they belong to a much "doofier" kid-level film. There is a palpable friction between the "high-brow" social commentary and the "Dora the Explorer" style of dialogue used by the younger characters. The film uses a clever framing device: a story within a story told by a bug living inside Mr. Twit’s beard: to justify this tonal shift, but it doesn't always land. The back half of the film becomes a bit exhausting as it gets bogged down in a repetitive game of tit-for-tat between the Twits and the orphanage. Despite these structural wobbles, the script’s originality shines through in its ending. It wisely side-steps the "hope-core" cliché where empathy solves everything, choosing instead a smarter lesson about the challenge of staying idealistic in a world full of hate.
Acting and Characters: A Masterclass in Vocal Grubbiness
If there is one area where the film is an unqualified success, it is the voice acting. Margo Martindale and Johnny Vegas were born to play these roles. Martindale brings a delicious, gravelly spite to Credenza, portraying her as a woman who has reached a pinnacle of "disappointment and cheeseburgers." Vegas is equally brilliant as James, capturing the character’s proud grifter energy with every line. They are a "wretched married couple" who clearly hate each other, yet their chemistry is the engine that drives the film’s best moments. Mention must also be made of Euan Morton, who provides a "splendid" singing voice for Mr. Twit during the movie’s more debauched musical numbers.
The supporting cast is similarly impressive. Natalie Portman provides a grounded, soulful matriarchal energy to Mary Muggle-Wump, the monkey whose tears are literally being extracted to power the theme park. Jason Mantzoukas is perfectly cast as the corrupt Mayor Wayne John John-John, delivering his lines with a manic, insincere energy that makes his butt-exploding fate feel all the more earned. Maitreyi Ramakrishnan manages to make Beesha more than just a generic protagonist, imbuing her with a "naive belief" that is genuinely touching. While some of the background human characters look a bit like "animated eyesores" from the early 2000s, the primary cast is remarkably expressive, ensuring that even when the characters are being repulsive, they are always appealing to watch.
Direction and Technical Aspects: The Tactile Beauty of the Disgusting
Director Phil Johnston has made a bold departure from the clean, digital lines of Ralph Breaks the Internet. The Twits instead leans into a style that closely resembles the "tactility of Aardman," with asymmetrical character designs and a grimy, smudgy aesthetic. The visual composition is a "sordid" delight: Triperot City looks like a run-down, derelict corner of a place like Detroit, filled with rusty, "janky" mechanical décor that feels like a twisted cousin of Wallace & Gromit. The production design of Twitlandia is particularly memorable, featuring a "Tilt-A-Pottie" and a roller coaster shaped like a snarl of pink intestines. It is an artistically lit film that isn't quite as ugly as it ought to be, but it still captures the spirit of Dahl’s repulsive descriptions.
The editing keeps the rapid-fire humor moving, though it can’t entirely save the film from its overlong second act. The visual storytelling is at its best during the "prank war" sequences, where the animation team clearly had a blast rendering things like "maggoty green cheese" and "anthropomorphic hairballs." One technical weakness noted by critics is the inconsistency in character models: the main cast is bombastic and distinct, but the "supporting cast" of townspeople looks remarkably cheap by comparison, as if corners were cut to meet the Netflix budget. Nevertheless, Johnston’s vision of a "children’s horror film" is largely successful, trusting its audience to handle a world that is "structurally unsound and stinking of rancid hot dog meat."
Trailer The Twits (2025)
Music and Atmosphere: Scatological Symphonies and David Byrne
The atmosphere of The Twits is relentlessly gross, yet strangely romantic in its debauchery. The film captures a "politeness-be-damned" mood that is essential to the Dahl brand. Much of this is achieved through the sound design, which emphasizes the "sordid and scatological" details of the Twits’ world: the squelch of worms, the rumble of exploding buttocks, and the squeal of "florbnorbles" being coughed up. It creates a sensory experience that is "exhausting" but undeniably effective in building the world of Triperot.
The musical score is embellished by original songs courtesy of David Byrne and Hayley Williams. While these tracks may not be "catchy enough to live on beyond the confines of the film," they serve a vital narrative purpose. They reveal the Twits as "romantics of the truly debauched," viewing their life on the margins as a direct challenge to normal society. The music adds a layer of "high-brow" sophistication to a film that is otherwise filled with a thousand fart jokes. This audio-visual combination ensures that the experience of watching The Twits is unlike anything else in the current Netflix catalog: a raucous, messy, and loud celebration of the unrefined.
Strengths and Weaknesses
What works well:
- Inspired Casting: Martindale and Vegas are the definitive screen versions of these characters.
- Sharp Political Satire: The critique of grifter leaders and "thoughts and prayers" politics is surprisingly sophisticated for a family film.
- Tactile Animation Style: The "wonky" and grimy visual aesthetic is a refreshing change from standard CGI.
- The "Muggle-Wumps": The monkey family provides a necessary emotional heart to the chaotic narrative.
- Absurd Humor: When the film lean into the "blisteringly funny" absurdity, it is genuinely laugh-out-loud.
What doesn't work:
- Tonal Inconsistency: The "Dora the Explorer" vibe of the orphans often clashes with the biting social commentary.
- Overlong Runtime: The 102 minutes feel stretched, especially during the repetitive prank sequences in the second half.
- Uneven Animation Quality: The background humans look like "eyesores" compared to the highly detailed main characters.
- Losing the "Nasty Edge": Purists may find the "feel-good lessons" and child-psychology tips a bit too soft for a Roald Dahl adaptation.
Final Verdict: A Tastier Bowl of Worms Than Expected
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Ultimately, The Twits (2025) is a "raucously good and gross time" that manages to justify its expansion of the source material. While it might not be the "loyal adaptation" that some purists were hoping for, it is a much smarter film than your average computer-animated comedy. Phil Johnston has successfully created a "children’s horror" adventure that respects its audience’s intelligence while simultaneously leaning into the peak of "low-brow" comedy. It is a movie that understands that "hate is easy" and that the real challenge is maintaining your empathy when the world smells like rancid hot dog water.
Who should watch it? This is a perfect choice for youngsters who want "butt jokes with their heavy-handed social commentary." If you have a fondness for the "Monster House" or "Aardman" school of animation, or if you simply want to see two acting titans like Martindale and Vegas behave badly, this is a must-stream. It’s a film for those who appreciate a story that isn't afraid to be a little bit repulsive.
Who might not enjoy it? Purists who are "averse to filmmakers staying true to Dahl’s tone and vision" might find the added life lessons a bit grating. If you are squeamish about "scatological humor" or find the idea of radioactive hot dog meat more nauseating than funny, you should probably skip this one. Additionally, those who find "rapid-fire humor" without a consistent heart to be exhausting may find the film’s manic energy a bit overwhelming.
Recommendation: I recommend giving The Twits a watch for the performances and the visual creativity alone. It is a "blisteringly funny" update that works best when it isn't trying to be "nice." Just be sure not to cut the credits short, as there is a "glimpse of Loompaland" hidden among the names that Dahl fans won't want to miss.
 Movie Review: A Grotesquely Fun and Socially Sharp Update That Struggles to Balance Its Mean-Spirited Soul With Kid-Friendly Tropes){kind=link}
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