Matchbox: The Movie Review – A Fun, Surprisingly Heartfelt Mattel Adaptation
When Mattel and Apple TV+ first announced they were teaming up to make a movie based on the hit Matchbox toy car brand, I was pretty sceptical. Then John Cena got involved, and I thought, okay, maybe this could actually be something quite good. I think what Apple and Mattel have found with Matchbox: The Movie is a surprisingly good formula.
The action is great, the cast is fantastic, and the film is much more heartfelt than you might expect. That said, it does lean into that Saturday morning cartoon-style cheese a little too much at times, which will work for some people but may become slightly annoying for others. Matchbox stars Cena and Jessica Biel, and their chemistry together is absolutely fantastic. In fact, the entire cast has great chemistry, with the rest of the ensemble made up of Arturo Castro, Sam Richardson, Teyonah Paris and Danai Gurira.
The action is where the film really shines and has director Sam Hargrave’s mark all over it. The set pieces are super fun, high-adrenaline, full-throttle and genuinely heart-pounding, with the kind of over-the-top spectacle you’d expect from something like the Fast & Furious franchise. It’s difficult not to make that comparison when you have John Cena starring in a film about cars.
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As I mentioned at the beginning, though, the film is much more heartfelt than you might expect. There’s a lot here about family, connection, and who we become as adults, while also exploring that idea of rekindling the childhood wonder we once had. Interestingly, the film focuses on that more than it does the actual Matchbox cars themselves, which is probably not what most audiences would expect from a movie based on a popular toy brand.
Mattel has a really accessible film here that I think could appeal to pretty much everyone. Your mum, your dad, your nan, your little brother, your older sister there’s something here for all of them. It’s definitely aiming for that four-quadrant audience, and I think it largely succeeds.
For me, though, the biggest drawback is that Saturday morning cartoon feeling that runs throughout the film. At times, it can actually hinder some of the more sombre moments, with certain scenes and pieces of dialogue feeling a little too cheesy. There are moments that feel like they’ve been lifted straight out of a typical 2000s family action movie. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still enjoyable, but that style does start to wear a little thin towards the end. I also think the film is slightly longer than it needs to be, and trimming the runtime down a little could have helped with the pacing.
Overall, Matchbox is a fun, surprisingly heartfelt action movie that should have something for the whole family. It’s not perfect, but I had a good time with it.
★★★
Streaming October 9th on Apple TV / John Cena, Jessica Biel, Arturo Castro, Sam Richardson, Teyonah Paris, Danai Gurira / Dir: Sam Hargrave / Apple TV / Skydance
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