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Decades before his name became instantly associated with macabre wonder, Guillermo del Toro conjured up accomplished special effects makeup for Mexican productions. Now, with an esteemed body of work as a director, it's still the tangible handcraft that distinguishes his monstrous brainchildren from those conceived solely as digital confections. 

Del Toro 's creatures exist as entities in this plane of reality—often in the body of Doug Jones as in " Pan's Labyrinth " and " The Shape of Water ." They take up space, react to light, have complex textures, and interact with actors in human roles. But as sophisticated as their configuration seems, they obey cinema's longstanding tradition of engendering fanciful worlds in front of the camera with practical ingenuity. 

Del Toro's lifelong commitment to turning the figments of his imagination into physical realities makes his decision to opt for stop-motion for his first animated feature an obvious and perfectly suitable one. Glorious in its tactile fabrication, his "Pinocchio" epitomizes the melding of tale and technique into a cohesive philosophical unit. For a story about imperfect fathers and sons, this method capitalizes on the irreplicable quality of the human touch one frame at a time. 

Decidedly more mature in tone than previous animated iterations of Carlo Collodi's 19th-century fable, though no less stirring or disarming, this version penned by del Toro and co-screenwriter Patrick McHale (creator of the miniseries "Over the Garden Wall") transports the characters first just a few years into the future to the early 1900s, as the Great War ravages Europe. The peaceful countryside is home to chipper woodworker Geppetto ( David Bradley ), to the townspeople, "a model Italian citizen," and to his 10-year-old son Carlo ( Gregory Mann ), an obedient boy who fulfills all of his father's expectations. 

But like a cruel stunt from the heavens, a bomb, not unlike the one that falls on the orphanage in " The Devil's Backbone ," takes Carlo from Geppetto, destroying his once idyllic outlook. A fabulously cast Ewan McGregor voices Sebastian J. Cricket, a pompous insect initially only interested in recounting his feats, who narrates the tragedy. Grief-stricken still years later, with Mussolini now in power, Geppetto carves a puppet from the pine tree near Carlo's tombstone in a drunken stupor that plays out with the uncanniness of a "Frankenstein" movie. 

Pinocchio (also Mann) gains consciousness by the hand of the Wood Sprite (the always alluring Tilda Swinton ), a new take on the Blue Fairy that resembles an angel as described in the Old Testament—think Angel of Death in " Hellboy II: The Golden Army ." This winged figure, and the beguiling chimera that represents Death later in the story (also Swinton), illustrate del Toro's interest in the otherworldly forces that affect mortals' paths on earth, as well as a singular vision of the afterlife, just not those prescribed by modern Christianity. 

"In this world, you get what you give," the fantastical do-gooder tells Sebastian, tasking him with Pinocchio's moral guidance in exchange for a wish. The cricket replies, "I try my best, and that's the best anyone can do." Del Toro and McHale feature multiple pithy refrains like these, which avoid repeating fairytale platitudes based on impossible rectitude. Instead, they advocate for the wisdom found in forgiving oneself for the mistakes of the past because it's in between failures and triumphs that our lives are written. Precisely how the illusion of stop-motion animation occurs in between the frames that remind us of what we are witnessing is painstakingly executed cinematic puppetry. 

Unlike the face replacement technology that some studios such as Laika employ to achieve nuance in the performances of the stop-motion puppets, del Toro and co-director Mark Gustafson , who honed his skills with Claymation master Will Vinton, utilized figures with mechanical visages that require delicate manipulation from the animators for a slightly less immaculate result in movement, but one that makes the hand of the artists known. 

One can't help but marvel at the superb craftsmanship in every detail of the characters that inhabit this darkly whimsical realm. Every hair strand on Geppetto's head, the wrinkles in his weathered artisan hands, or the material of his garments are individual, minuscule strokes of genius. The design of Pinocchio himself feels elemental, with the organic blemishes of real wood, without clothing, and sporting a mischievously adorable face and an explosive hairstyle. This might be the most truthful on-screen depiction of the character ever. In the breathtaking dedication of those in charge of the production design, the costumes, and the constructions of the sets, large and miniature, the film finds its soul.

Yet as innocent as Pinocchio is—early on, he sings about every object he encounters as an incredible discovery—there's an abrasive side to his personality that resonates honestly with the less flattering aspects of children's behavior. Not only is Geppetto not immediately accepting of his new offspring, given that the Catholic churchgoers believe it to be sorcery, but he hopes to mold him into who Carlo was.  

But Pinocchio, born without the inhabitations of the human condition, only conforms to the norms to gain his father's validation. Del Toro is nothing if not a gentle champion of the misunderstood to those whose appearance, origin, or worldview isolate them from the homogeneity of the masses. And in this wooden boy, he finds a walking and talking symbol for the indomitable power of nature, of chance, of the unpredictable factors that can enrich our days even if they weren't precisely what we had hoped for. 

Fascism, a dangerous ideology that demands submission while it derides uniqueness, is explored via personal relationships. In failing to accept their sons for who they are and not who they wish them to be, all the fathers in "Pinocchio" partake in its perverse dynamic of control: Podesta ( Ron Perlman ), a government official raising his kid, Candlewick ( Finn Wolfhard ), with strict discipline; the villainous puppeteer Count Volpe ( Christoph Waltz ) and his mistreatment of his baboon sidekick Spazzatura ( Cate Blanchett ); and even a cleverly ridiculed Mussolini ( Tom Kenny ), as a father figure for an entire nation. 

Organized religion seeks similar servitude, holding one's missteps against us as a reminder of our unworthiness and why we should listen to the teachings of its ancient practice. A wooden Jesus on the cross, the image of a faultless god, looks down on its sinful flock. 

Its critique of Catholicism notwithstanding, del Toro and Gustafson's "Pinocchio" remains a striking spiritual experience. Its emphasis on the material, in what we can see and feel, in the here and now—defects all—speaks to the notion that our brief time alive isn't measured in faultless accomplishments but also in the precious glimpses of the divine we carve from the rubble left behind by personal and collective catastrophes. Despite the sorrow that comes with our flesh-and-blood constraints, we replenish our will to go on. 

At some point, the expertly plotted narrative veers its sights to teach Pinocchio, who is unable to die for a while, a lesson on why mortality is both a curse and a gift. That Carlo and Pinocchio are both voiced by Mann, while Swinton enlivens both the Wood Sprite and Death, denotes a marked duality at play about what was but no longer is and what wasn't but now exists. Two sides of the same coin remind us that loving is a burden worth carrying, life is an ordeal worth dying for, and that in the crevices of all which we consider that make us misfits, we can find pockets of happiness with others like us. 

With the screenplay's unassumingly poetic final line, Sebastian casts a lovingly life-affirming spell, a phrase that applies to the entirety of the piece, noting that even the artists behind this production will someday also die; only their stories will endure. 

A wondrously affecting work, "Pinocchio" becomes a magnum opus for del Toro that channels his interests and beliefs long present in his oeuvre but spun with a luminous new gravitas. It may go against its ethos to deem del Toro's "Pinocchio" an impeccable masterpiece, even if that's an adequate description, but know that if the art of making movies resembles magic, this is one of its greatest incantations. 

In limited release now and available on Netflix on Friday, December 9th.

Carlos Aguilar

Originally from Mexico City, Carlos Aguilar was chosen as one of 6 young film critics to partake in the first Roger Ebert Fellowship organized by RogerEbert.com, the Sundance Institute and Indiewire in 2014. 

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Film Credits

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022)

Rated PG for dark thematic material, violence, peril, some rude humor and brief smoking.

117 minutes

Ewan McGregor as Sebastian J. Cricket (voice)

David Bradley as Gepetto (voice)

Gregory Mann as Pinocchio (voice)

Christoph Waltz as Count Volpe (voice)

Tilda Swinton as Wood Sprite / Death (voice)

Ron Perlman as The Podestà (voice)

Finn Wolfhard as Candlewick (voice)

Cate Blanchett as Spazzatura the Monkey (voice)

Tim Blake Nelson as The Black Rabbits (voice)

John Turturro as Il Dottore (voice)

Burn Gorman as Priest (voice)

Tom Kenny as Mussolini / Right Hand Man / Sea Captain (voice)

Alfie Tempest as Carlo (voice)

• Guillermo Del Toro
• Mark Gustafson

Writer (novel)

• Carlo Collodi
• Patrick McHale

Cinematographer

• Frank Passingham
• Ken Schretzmann
• Holly Klein
• Alexandre Desplat

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‘Pinocchio’ Review: As the Story Grows

This live action and animated reimagining of the classic fairy tale takes too much time relaying its narrative.

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By Amy Nicholson

Surprising that Disney hired two previous directors before handing the strings of its partially-animated “Pinocchio” to Robert Zemeckis, Hollywood’s Geppetto, the creator on a quest to transform pixels into real boys (and girls and Grendels). Under Zemeckis’s attentive eye, Pinocchio’s yellow cap appears made of felt and his white gloves, affectionately hand-knit. When the marionette spirals his head like a pinewood Linda Blair, his joints make a satisfying creak. But boy oh real boy, is the script by Zemeckis and Chris Weitz a lifeless chunk of wood.

The reimagining goes awry in the opening number — not “When You Wish Upon a Star,” the Oscar-winner that ascended to become the company’s signature tune, but a new ballad, “When He Was Here With Me,” sung by Geppetto (Tom Hanks) about his freshly concocted dead son. Someone wished to burden the old whittler with more motivation, and tacked on a dead wife to boot.

This interminable shop sequence is paced so slowly that when a window closes, the image loiters until its latch drops into place. So slowly that when the Blue Fairy (Cynthia Erivo) freezes a screeching cuckoo clock, it feels like a cruel prank. So slowly that we forget that Hanks is ranked high among the most charming screen performers of all time as he opens his mouth to sing a second unwelcome new song in which he rhymes “Pinocchio” with “Holy Smoke-i-o.” And when Pinocchio (voiced by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) and Jiminy Cricket (voiced by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) finally head outside for fresh air, things do not improve.

The key problem is the film’s fear of the original author Carlo Collodi’s theme: that children are raw material inclined to sloth, foolishness and self-serving fibs. (Collodi’s puppet kills the cricket and is haunted by its ghost.) Walt Disney’s 1940 cartoon softened the tyke’s sins to rambunctious naïveté. Now, he’s been flattened out of having a personality at all. His lumpen goodness turns the hot-tempered fairy tale into a dull after-school special about peer pressure, which seems to suggest that Geppetto should have just carved himself a helicopter to parent the boy.

In place of temptation, the film serves up bizarre plot-fillers. Pinocchio learns about taxes and horse dung, meets a love interest (Kyanne Lamaya) and stares blankly at zingers directed toward the modern enticements of social media. (Pleasure Island now includes Contempt Corner where kids wave placards haranguing each other to shut up.) Joy can be found only in Luke Evans’s scary-fun Coachman (now saddled with unnecessary smoke monster minions) and a line where Jiminy seems to comment on the last decades of Zemeckis’s career: “Sure, there are other ways to make a boy — but I don’t think Geppetto gets out much, and I guess it’s just the best he could do with the tools he’s got.”

Pinocchio Rated PG. Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes. Watch on Disney+ .

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Pinocchio keeps Disney’s live-action-remake curse rolling along

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Though some of Disney’s big-budget live-action remakes of its hand-drawn animated classics have performed well financially, they’ve almost uniformly struggled creatively. David Lowery is the only director who’s cracked the code: His tender 2016 remake of Pete’s Dragon makes an old film feel fresh and new by telling a story that actually is fresh and new. Unfortunately, remakes of Aladdin , The Lion King , Beauty and the Beast , and others had less room to stretch. If people pay to see a remake of a beloved Disney favorite, they expect to see the greatest hits on repeat, from the songs to the signature moments. So audiences can only expect so much new material. And it often comes in small interstitial moments, like the bit in the 2019 Lion King where the adult Simba kicks up a tuft of leaves that float through the breeze and eventually land in front of the wizened old mandrill Rafiki — after a pit stop in a ball of giraffe dung.

Regretfully and inexplicably, animal excrement also prominently features in Disney’s latest bit of self-cannibalization, Robert Zemeckis’ remake of the 1940 classic Pinocchio . Like the animated version, the straight-to-Disney Plus live-action remake tells the story of a wooden marionette (a CG creation voiced by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) brought to life by a magical Blue Fairy (Cynthia Erivo), who sends him on a journey to become fully human by exemplifying the traits of bravery, truthfulness, and selflessness.

As in the original movie (and the Carlo Collodi children’s book it adapts), Pinocchio encounters anthropomorphized animals like Jiminy Cricket (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Honest John the fox (Keegan-Michael Key). There’s a cruel, mustachioed impresario named Stromboli (Giuseppe Battiston), the hallucinatory Pleasure Island theme park, and other recognizable elements from the classic. Zemeckis has more than enough experience in blending live actors and digital technology with past films such as The Polar Express and Who Framed Roger Rabbit . But the new Pinocchio lacks soul, no matter how hard Zemeckis and his co-writer, Chris Weitz, try to will it into being through leaden dialogue where characters talk about what truly makes someone real.

Nü- Pinocchio gets off to a shaky start by skipping past “When You Wish Upon a Star,” which may be the most quintessential Disney song of all time. Where Jiminy Cricket performs it as a quiet, telling moment in the original film, the 2022 Pinocchio truncates it and gives the shorter version to the Blue Fairy. Erivo has a genuinely phenomenal voice, as evidenced in her Tony-winning role in the Broadway version of The Color Purple . Her rendition of the abbreviated classic is lovely. But handing the song to her makes Jiminy a less interesting character, far less present and passionate — which is a problem, since he’s meant to illustrate humanity to Pinocchio, even though neither of them are human.

The changes mount up. Unlike in the animated film, Geppetto (Tom Hanks, whose questionable Italian accent does not deserve a future in memes à la his Elvis performance ) offers a clunky explanation of the reasons a kindly old woodcarver like him would create a boyish marionette. He also explains why he refuses to sell off his dead wife’s treasured cuckoo clocks — which feature characters like Rafiki and Simba, Roger Rabbit, and Sheriff Woody, which may go down as one of the most painful bits of corporate synergy in film history.

These are answers to questions best left unasked — many of the small touches in the original Pinocchio are haunting because they defy explanation. By studiously spelling out each emotion, Zemeckis and Weitz remove any potential for enigmatic complexity. And while the computer technology bringing Pinocchio to life is nowhere near as creepy as anything in Zemeckis’ Polar Express , that’s mitigated by how obviously fake he is anytime there’s a shot with a human actor “touching” or “holding” the little wooden boy.

The story’s outline will still be extremely recognizable to anyone with a passing familiarity with the animated film or Collodi’s The Adventures of Pinocchio . Because this is a modern film, though, apparently someone felt the film needed to scoff a bit at its own flights of fancy. When Pinocchio, stuck in a cage by the evil Stromboli, begins to tell a lie and his wooden nose grows, Jiminy says, “A bit on the nose, I’d say.” When Pinocchio rattles off his various adventures late in the film, a bemused character asks, “You did all that in one day ?” Simultaneously copycatting a classic and smugly mocking it comes across as crass, as if Zemeckis and company are afraid of real emotion, and determined to safeguard audiences against any sense of authenticity or sincerity.

This Pinocchio isn’t quite a shot-for-shot remake of the 1940 film, though its scant few additions are so baffling in part because they feel so insubstantial. Songs such as “Give a Little Whistle” and “Little Wooden Head” have been jettisoned in favor of four lifeless new songs by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard. Each one stops the story’s pacing in its tracks. Hanks is tasked with two new numbers in the early going, where he speak-sings his way through painful lyrics that rhyme “Pinocchio” with “Holy smokey-o.”

The way Pinocchio is ensnared by the Coachman (Luke Evans, doing his best impression of Disney’s animated Captain Hook) and needled by other kids into going to Pleasure Island hints at one of this remake’s most unavoidable problems: Zemeckis and company don’t want it to be as complex as its forebear. Though the 1940 version of Pinocchio isn’t as aggressive and rowdy as his fellow boys on Pleasure Island, he’s perfectly willing to dive into bad behavior, aping his cigar-smoking pal Lampwick.

But his naive, childish selfishness only makes his eventual heroism that much more redemptive. In Zemeckis’ version, Pinocchio is initially led astray by some uncouth characters, but he’s essentially a good little boy from start to finish, whereas many of the other characters — especially some new human characters, like a loutish headmaster and a kindly performer in Stromboli’s traveling show, who both throw around the term “real” like a buzzword — are as hollow as the wood that comprises the title character.

Pinocchio isn’t the first Disney remake to be shunted straight to Disney Plus. ( Mulan debuted on the service’s premium tier.) Nor is it the first Robert Zemeckis film to skip theaters for streaming. (Coincidentally, his The Witches remake for HBO Max is the only other serious contender against Pinocchio for his worst film.) When Disney Plus first kicked off in 2019, one of its opening-day original films was the Lady and the Tramp remake , which is predictable, lifeless, and entirely unmemorable.

The 2022 Pinocchio does have its unforgettable moments, but they stand out for all the wrong reasons. It will be difficult to forget the image of Pinocchio staring at a pile of horse manure and touching it out of curiosity. It’s a gross image in a film that otherwise doesn’t add in scatalogical humor, a gag that isn’t in the original and has no purpose in the remake, and a weirdly unnecessary cost in a film that struggles to merge CG and live-action elements. But maybe all that tracks. Pinocchio ’22 is a top-to-bottom embarrassment with no good reason to exist, so it might as well feature images with an equal lack of creative logic.

Pinocchio debuts on Disney Plus on Sept. 8.

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Disney+'s Pinocchio Reviews Are Here, Read What Critics Are Saying About The Tom Hanks Movie

What do critics think about Disney's latest live-action remake?

The story of Pinocchio is over a hundred years old, spinning the well-known tale of a little wooden boy who wants to become real. The animated Disney movie from 1940 captured generations of fans with its magical adventure and morality lesson (Jiminy Cricket wasn’t so bad himself), and director Robert Zemeckis is hoping to recapture some of that magic in the latest Disney live-action remake . Starring Tom Hanks as the woodcarver Geppetto, Pinocchio is now available for Disney+ subscribers to stream, and Hanks is surrounded by an impressive cast that includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt voicing Jiminy Cricket and Cynthia Erivo as The Blue Fairy. 

Let’s see what the critics are saying about Hanks’ latest collaboration with Robert Zemeckis, starting with CinemaBlend’s review of Pinocchio . Dirk Libbey rates the movie 3 stars out of 5, noting that like Disney’s other live-action remakes, this one doesn’t stray too far from the original story, but there is enough that’s different — including the addition of five original songs — that people should give it a shot. He says: 

In the end, the live-action Pinocchio is neither the best nor the worst of this particular corner of Disney's universe. It's mostly fine. As a piece of technical filmmaking it brings the Disney story of Pinocchio to life impressively, but it could have given the story new life, and there it comes up short.

Fay Watson of Games Radar also gives the movie 3 out of 5 stars, saying that Tom Hanks is wonderful, the animation is great, and the familiar characters inspire nostalgia. However, the pacing of the story is an issue, and these reviews seem to be hinting at a change to the traditional ending. From the critic: 

The film is let down by some serious pacing issues. Every scenario sees Pinocchio finding himself in trouble, resolving the problem, and coming out with a clear moral takeaway. It quickly becomes repetitive – the structure aping A Christmas Carol but not succeeding – and the overall effect is a film that sometimes seems too slow, and at other points too fast - especially the final act, which ends abruptly (and might be controversial among Disney purists).

Lupe R. Haas of Cinemovie says this remake doesn’t offer much in terms of novelty, save for a more diverse cast and better animation (which would be expected more than 80 years after the first Disney movie). However, the critic ponders, with the movie targeting a new generation, maybe it doesn’t matter that the story hasn’t changed. This review says: 

The majority of the story remains the same with minimal changes like Easter Eggs with Disney character cameos, but these Disney live-action remakes are meant for a new generation. Perhaps we should stop calling them ‘remakes’ and refer to them as ‘upgrades.’ As someone who was tempted to compare the new version with the original, the 4:3 frame size and dated 2D animation couldn't hold my attention after 20 minutes.

Tara Bennett of IGN rates the film a “Mediocre” 5 out of 10, calling Disney’s newest effort “wooden.” Tom Hanks gives a good performance, but this critic says even he can’t carry this one on his own: 

Nothing cinematic, original, or even lasting comes from their ongoing exercise which makes it a continuing head-scratcher. With this retelling, there’s far too much fealty to the visuals and plot points of Walt Disney’s 1940 animated classic, yet the script clearly bristles at being beholden to its old-fashioned constraints. The result is an occasionally beautifully rendered film with a schizophrenic script that alternates between old-timey twee and being too-hip-for-itself meta, complete with anachronistic dialogue.

Christian Zilko of IndieWire grades Pinocchio a C, saying that while this movie is mostly harmless entertainment, there’s no reason to have remade it, and trying to update it for a new generation kind of goes against the message it’s trying to relay. The critic says: 

Of the many sins that Robert Zemeckis’ Pinocchio commits, the hardest one to forgive is its complete inability to settle on a reason for existing. Its strongest moments come when recreating the film that inspired it, but its attempts to expand that source material lead it into some truly dire terrain. If you enjoyed the original Pinocchio but thought the cats weren’t mangy enough, the Chris Pine references were lacking, and Jiminy Cricket didn’t make enough jokes about Geppetto’s inability to get laid, you’ll be thrilled to see those wrongs righted in Zemeckis’ new film. Everyone else would be better off simply rewatching the original.

As with Disney’s other live-action remakes, this one seems to inspire mixed reviews, except maybe where Tom Hanks and the updated animation are concerned. If this sounds like a movie you want to revisit, Pinocchio is available for streaming now on Disney+. You can also see what else Tom Hanks has in the works , and start planning your next trip to the theater with our 2022 Movie Release Schedule . 

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Heidi Venable is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend, a mom of two and a hard-core '90s kid. She started freelancing for CinemaBlend in 2020 and officially came on board in 2021. Her job entails writing news stories and TV reactions from some of her favorite prime-time shows like Grey's Anatomy and The Bachelor. She graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a degree in Journalism and worked in the newspaper industry for almost two decades in multiple roles including Sports Editor, Page Designer and Online Editor. Unprovoked, will quote Friends in any situation. Thrives on New Orleans Saints football, The West Wing and taco trucks.

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‘Pinocchio’ Review: A Gorgeous Update Makes the Classic Fairy Tale Weirder and Creepier Than Ever

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“ Pinocchio ” will never stop becoming a real boy. Nearly 150 years after its initial publication and exactly 70 after the first Disney adaptation, the story continues inspiring new interpretations, from Guillermo del Toro’s upcoming animated version for Netflix to the just-announced Robert Zemeckis live-action take for Disney, which knows a thing or two about the potential for recycling IP.

By the time these updates arrive, however, Matteo Garrone ’s “Pinocchio” will have already set a high bar for modern takes. The only new “Pinocchio” movie actually made in Italy, the tale’s country of origin, Garrone’s enthralling version taps into the creepy, kinky nature of the material, resulting in a gothic fantasy that embodies the original’s appeal.

Despite an unruly running time and some rough transitions, the movie loads up on imaginative visuals and surreal flourishes that feel like a natural continuation — and a more complex variation — of the fairy tale playground the filmmaker last unleashed with 2015’s anthology “Tale of Tales.” Garrone takes his cues from Carlo Collodi’s 1883 story collection, while dousing the vignettes in enough kooky practical effects to exploit the nostalgia for 1980s fantasy to its fullest extent. In the process, he exhumes the appeal of the original story all over again.

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Already a commercial hit in Italy, Garrone’s “Pinocchio” doesn’t look like any version an American studio might produce today, and instead occupies a peculiar limbo between the sensibility of a children’s movie and a more unsettling adult take. That uncertain blend throws the movie off during its rough first act, when it goes through a familiar set of circumstances but struggles to find a consistent note. Garrone seems obliged to get through the origin story one beat at a time, setting the stage for unleashing the crazy once the pieces are in place.

You know the drill: Scatterbrained carpenter Mister Geppetto (Roberto Benigni) roams around his rural village looking for work, finding sudden inspiration when he spots a traveling puppet theater passing through town. Garrone sketches out Geppetto much like many of the underclass hustlers who populate the director’s work — including “Gomorrah” and “Dogman” — but this one wears out his welcome pretty fast. Almost 20 years after playing Pinocchio himself in a 2002 adaptation he directed, Benigni looks like a weary old punchline, and threatens to throw the entire story off with his overwrought giddiness. Fortunately, he’s just a supporting character in place for the real story to take over.

Borrowing a log from his pal Cherry (Paolo Graziosi), Geppetto shows little shock at the inexplicable possibility that the wood might have life in its fibers. Moments after carving a bust, Geppetto notices a heartbeat, and keeps chipping away. (This isn’t a movie that demands prolonged mythological explanations for the magic at hand.) Before long, Pinocchio’s gazing back at his creator through curious eyes, all too eager to embrace Geppetto’s paternal instincts. The second the creature chirps an adorable “Babbo!” back at his creator, “Pinocchio” settles into its unnerving blend of spookiness and charm, as young newcomer Federico Ielapi embodies the wooden kid with the wide-eyed curiosity of a bite-sized golem.

Garrone mastered the art of underclass struggles compelled to reckless pursuits years ago, but in this case the protagonist who meets that fate isn’t Geppetto so much as his magical creation. After Pinocchio abandons school to explore the circus, he’s thrust into slavery with his own kind, marking the first of several dark twists in the boy’s winding journey. Pinocchio’s harsh experiences at the hands of unruly circus overseer Mangiafuoco (Gigi Proietti) don’t quite click, though they hint at many of the more unusual circumstances to come. Following Pinocchio’s abrupt encounter with a stern advisor named the Talking Cricket (Davide Marotta, dressed up like a green alien), the boy drifts off on a series of quests that find him wandering further from home as he gets closer to realizing his true potential.

“Pinocchio” gets better as it gets weirder, and taking cues from its Homeric origins, it gets very weird. The poor creature contends with the scheming Cat (Rocco Papaleo) and Fox (Massimo Ceccherini) in an ill-advised journey to pick gold coins from a tree, then falls into the hands of crude assassins who actually the hang the poor child from the tree and leave him dangling there, in a harrowing twist sure to traumatize a few young minds. He finds some measure of sympathy when he lands in the home of the Fairy with Turquoise Hair (alternately played by Alida Baldari Calabria and Marine Vacth), whose magical benevolence introduces Pinocchio to a whole range of inventive new characters, from rabbits hauling a tiny coffin to coax him into taking his medicine to the Jabba-like Snail (Maria Pia Timo), the Fairy’s doting housekeeper whose slimy path creates a tripping hazard everywhere she goes.

Once the movie enters its loony collage-like trajectory, the hits keep coming. Pinocchio endures a range of imaginative horrors, from that terrifying whale to the eventual donkey transformation that in this version includes a hat-tip to Robert Bresson’s “Au Hasard Balthazar.” Of course, no “Pinocchio” is complete without a few white lies and a growing schnozzle, though this one seems like a pretty blatant metaphor for puberty (if it wasn’t already baked into the material from the start). Garrone’s penchant for juggling eerie soul-searching with ebullient storybook visuals matches Terry Gilliam in his prime, and the whole thing has been laced together by Dario Marianelli’s inspired cosmic score.

Above all, “Pinocchio” imbues its circumstances with a surprising degree of naturalism, thanks to the filmmaker’s careful handling of practical effects that suit the unusual tone. Unlike recent effects travesties of the “Cats” variety, “Pinocchio” understands the inherent disturbing quality of human faces melded to non-human bodies — from gastropods to a very funny tuna fish — and exploits that disconnect at every turn.

This story can only end one way, and when it does, “Pinocchio” tops off the silly-strange rhythm with a poignant finish. By the time it gets there, however, the movie has accrued many layers. Garrone doesn’t dig deep into the material as much as he revels in its surfaces, though the director of zany sociopolitical dramas like “Reality” and “Dogman” can’t help but inject a few contemporary zingers. Sitting in front of an ape judge, Pinocchio proclaims his innocence. “In this country, the innocent go to prison!” he’s told.

Such is the nature of Pinocchio’s plight, and no matter its otherworldly nature, Garrone’s version shows how the premise has grown more relatable with time. Pinocchio’s an innocent creature at the mercy of ever-changing surroundings who learns to take charge, which is enough to make him a walking zeitgeist. More than that, however, he embodies the endless frustrations of a cruel world, as well as the emotional charge that comes from learning to roll with its merciless twists and hope for a happy ending.

“Pinocchio” premiered at the Berlin Film Festival as a special gala. It is currently seeking U.S. distribution.

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A puppet is brought to life by a fairy, who assigns him to lead a virtuous life in order to become a real boy. A puppet is brought to life by a fairy, who assigns him to lead a virtuous life in order to become a real boy. A puppet is brought to life by a fairy, who assigns him to lead a virtuous life in order to become a real boy.

• Robert Zemeckis
• Chris Weitz
• Carlo Collodi
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt
• Benjamin Evan Ainsworth
• 431 User reviews
• 138 Critic reviews
• 38 Metascore
• 1 win & 13 nominations

Top cast 73

• Jiminy Cricket

• Signore Rizzi

• Signora Vitelli

• Honest John

• (as Guiseppe Battiston)

• Pleasure Island Troupe
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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• Trivia Geppetto's cuckoo clocks are a collection of Disney characters: Woody and his horse Bullseye from the Toy Story series (starring Tom Hanks ) Donald Duck, Roger Rabbit and his wife Jessica kissing (from Robert Zemeckis 's previous film Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) ) Archimedes the Owl (from The Sword in the Stone (1963) ), The Lion King (1994), Princess Aurora and Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty (1959) , Dumbo (1941), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). The remaining clocks recreate those seen in the original Pinocchio (1940) .
• Goofs When Pinocchio is locked in a cage, he lies to Jiminy Cricket. In one part, he tells Jiminy Cricket he wanted to go to school, which is actually true because he wanted to try out school earlier in the film, despite telling part of the truth, but his nose still grows anyways.

Geppetto : Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight; I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight.

• Crazy credits In the beginning, Jiminy Cricket floats by the Disney logo, singing along to the "When You Wish Upon a Star" fanfare, and opens the film. At the end of the film, Jiminy Cricket flies away.
• Connections Featured in AniMat's Crazy Cartoon Cast: Remembering Stephen Hillenburg (2018)
• Soundtracks When He Was Here with Me Music and Lyrics by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard Performed by Tom Hanks

User reviews 431

• yusufpiskin
• Sep 7, 2022
• How long is Pinocchio? Powered by Alexa
• September 8, 2022 (United States)
• United States
• United Kingdom
• Tuscany, Italy
• Walt Disney Pictures
• Depth of Field
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• $150,000,000 (estimated)

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• Runtime 1 hour 45 minutes
• Dolby Atmos
• Dolby Digital

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‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio’ Review: The Fantasy Master’s Distinctive Stop-Motion Take on the Old Story Carves Out Its Own Way

After Disney's dismal remake earlier this year, there may be little collective appetite for another Pinocchio film, but del Toro's version, set in Fascist Italy, is eccentric and imaginative enough to make us hungry again.

By Guy Lodge

Film Critic

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The film’s stranger, thornier vision begins with the image of Pinocchio himself, here a far cry from Disney’s cutely dressed, bubble-featured boy. Taking their cue from the illustrations of American artist Gris Grimly (given a co-producing credit) for a 2002 edition of Collodi’s book, del Toro and Gustafson redesign him as a literal stick figure, gnarled and spindly and held together with snaggly nails, with a nose that grows not as a neat rod but in antler-like, leaf-covered branches. If he looks rustic and unfinished, that’s because he is: fashioned by his human woodcarver “father” Geppetto (beautifully voiced by David Bradley) in a drunken fit of grief for his late, cherubic son Carlo (Gregory Mann, gamely doing double duty as Pinocchio too).

Outlined at the outset of the film, this teary new backstory also permits del Toro an early introduction for two of the film’s other fixations: morbid Christian symbolism and the horrors of war. “Everyone likes him, why not me?” asks naively mischievous Pinocchio, gesturing at the gigantic wooden crucifix that Geppetto is repairing for the village church — one damaged in the same First World War bombing that killed Carlo. Two decades later, in an Italy under Il Duce’s fascist thumb, the timber tyke is shunned as a demonic outsider by the community; the village’s authoritarian Podestà (Ron Perlman), however, thinks the “dissident” puppet could prove his worth in the military, serving alongside his terrorized son Candlewick (Finn Wolfhard). 

The conservatively macho conceptual leap from “real boy” to “real man” is one of the cleverest layers in del Toro and “Adventure Time” writer Patrick McHale’s busy screenplay, though there’s hardly time to ponder such nuances and subtexts as the story, true to its episodic source, barrels along. The Podestà isn’t the only one after Pinocchio, after all, as travelling circus master Count Volpe (a hissing Christoph Waltz) sees a whole lotta lira in the uncanny living puppet. Meanwhile, our hero’s repeated scrapes keep landing him in a purgatorial netherworld, where a slinky electric-blue incarnation of Death — sister of his life-giving guardian sprite — determines his fate over and over; Tilda Swinton eerily voices both entities, as if you’d choose anyone else to do so. 

Aesthetically and narratively, then, this is a “Pinocchio” that credits its young audience with eminently grownup taste and intelligence — so much so that its occasional lurches into more old-school animated musical territory (with a handful of immediately unmemorable songs punctuating Alexandre Desplat’s otherwise lush, puckishly orchestrated score) feel rather half-hearted.

Only rarely, however, does “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” feel compromised in this fashion. Unfolding over a faintly indulgent but never dull two hours, this is a rare children’s entertainment that isn’t afraid to perplex kids as much as it enchants them, down to a coda that prompts a certain level of junior existential contemplation (not to mention a mournful tear or two) at the notion of a dead insect in a matchbox coffin in a boy’s wooden — but very real — heart. It’s a vivid, lavish stroke of weirdness, better seen than described. “Pinocchio” always has been.

Reviewed at London Film Festival, Oct. 15, 2022. Running time: 117 MIN.

• Production: (Animated) A Netflix presentation of a Double Dare You!, ShadowMachine production in association with the Jim Henson Company. Producers: Guillermo del Toro, Lisa Henson, Gary Ungar, Alex Bulkley, Corey Campodonico. Co-producers: Melanie Coombs, Gris Grimly, Blanca Lista.
• Crew: Directors: Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson. Screenplay: Del Toro, Patrick McHale, from a screen story by del Toro, Matthew Robbins, based on the book 'Pinocchio' by Carlo Collodi. Camera: Frank Passingham. Editor: Ken Schretzmann, Holly Klein. Music: Alexandre Desplat.
• With: Ewan McGregor, Gregory Mann, David Bradley, Christoph Waltz, Tilda Swinton, Cate Blanchett, Finn Wolfhard, John Turturro, Ron Perlman, Burn Gorman, Tim Blake Nelson.

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Pinocchio Reviews

It's everything that recent live-action remakes of Disney classics have tried to do without success: a film that respects and follows in the footsteps of the original, but offers its own reasons for existing. [Full review in Portuguese]

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 27, 2022

The wooden boy lives in a baroque world that is also decadent. Luminous but also malevolent. Theatric but also nightmarish. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Oct 19, 2022

Its fable, narrated with pleasant music and authentic makeup, has feeling and moves me like a child when it elaborates his metaphors about fatherhood and the chiaroscuros of innocence. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Aug 12, 2022

Its no-nonsense telling of the equally disturbing and delightful story keeps it from being just a visual feast and gives it the heart necessary to make it a compelling watch.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Jul 11, 2022

If you are a fan of the rich, detailed, almost grimy world of directors like Terry Gilliam ("Monty Python"), then the vision of Italian director Matteo Garrone is right up your alley.

Full Review | Jul 7, 2021

Who is this version of Carlo Collodi's classic for? [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Apr 15, 2021

An exceptionally handsome work, lovingly detailed in its sets and costumes and fanciful make-up work... But it's not very lively.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 10, 2021

Pinocchio may not be a real boy, but this is a real film, glowingly shot on Tuscan locations and offering a traditional, literate folk-tale feel with no strings attached...

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 22, 2021

It is definitely not for the younger kids, but so much of it works that it is definitely worth a look.

Full Review | Feb 26, 2021

This Pinocchio looks like no other Pinocchio, that's for sure, but it's appeal is limited.

Full Review | Feb 24, 2021

For all its flaws and missteps (more nose growing antics, please), the movie gets under your skin and holds interest...

Full Review | Feb 3, 2021

The result is a bizarre fairytale extravaganza, and Garonne should be credited for the thoughtful way he has brought his vision to life.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 3, 2021

A beautiful and cleverly crafted piece which manages to be a faithful return to Collodi's original tale and very much the director's own take.

This movie should not be bad.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Feb 3, 2021

Right from the start, Garrone's Pinocchio seems like a real boy, which makes it even more disturbing, and delightful, when the wood becomes flesh.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Feb 3, 2021

Garrone's steady eye for the bizarre and ironic ensures an engrossing spectacle to spark children's imaginations, in a world adults will wearily vouch for.

Pinocchio's ultimate transformation from puppet to human boy lacks much of the transcendence inherent in the parable, and thus the film never moves beyond its wooden machinations.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Jan 12, 2021

Get our your handkerchiefs for this gorgeous, live-action take from Italy on the Disney animated classic, starring Oscar winner Roberto Benigni as Geppetto, the woodcutter who builds a puppet to replace the son he never had.

Full Review | Dec 31, 2020

It has the makings of a stealth classic.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Dec 31, 2020

Fairy tales have always held the threat of darkness as punishment for misbehavior, and this "Pinocchio" is no exception.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Dec 30, 2020

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• Entertainment

'Pinocchio' Review: Disney CG Reboot Makes a Bizarre Fairy Tale Even Weirder

No lie: Tom Hanks carves a strange new version of the classic cartoon, on Disney Plus now.

When you wish upon a star, you get Tom Hanks acting alongside a wooden boy.

I don't know how long it's been since you saw Pinocchio, but it is  super  weird. A brand new remake of the classic Disney animation sanitizes the aging cartoon's more dubious elements, but still manages to be bizarre as all get-out -- and in fact, this awkward mishmash of digital effects and live action adds new levels of weird.

Reuniting the Forrest Gump team of Tom Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis, the 2022 Pinocchio is streaming on Disney Plus today, Sept. 8. It isn't showing in theaters, and the suits at Disney have rather strangely chosen to drop the film when summer vacation is already over, but they have managed to release their version before Guillermo del Toro's stop-motion Pinocchio tells the same story (in theaters Nov. 25 and on Netflix Dec. 9).

Disney's version specifically remakes the House of Mouse's 1940 film. Uncle Walt's second animated feature after Snow White, Pinocchio was the first animated film to win an Oscar, and remains a visual treat. You can watch the original on Disney Plus, but while it smoothed over the nastiness of Carlo Collodi's original 1880s novel it still included a few quirks that will leave modern audiences wincing . So Pinocchio is the latest Disney classic to be remade for modern sensibilities and effects, following The Jungle Book , Beauty and the Beast , The Lion King , Tim Burton's  Dumbo and more (with a new Little Mermaid on the way).

Hanks plays Geppetto, a shambling woodcarver in a bustling Italian village who wishes on a star and gets more than he bargained for when his newest puppet comes to life. There are no strings on this marionette in the shape of a little boy, but naive Pinocchio is soon pulled in all directions as he's seduced into various unsavory adventures.

The film opens with an animated cricket narrating the story (in Joseph Gordon-Levitt's ripe accent), only to get into a meta argument with himself about being a narrator. It just gets stranger from there. The main story about a talking puppet makes sense in a fairy tale-logic sort of way -- a wish is made, it comes true, any kid can understand that -- and a subtly suggested new backstory about Geppetto's grief for his lost family actually adds a new dimension of poignancy to his yearning wish. But the world into which Pinocchio emerges makes zero sense.

Not only does Pinoke hang out with a talking grasshopper, but also a singing fox and, for some reason, a sexy goldfish. If it's a world in which sentient creatures are commonplace, that surely takes away from Pinocchio's uniqueness. In fact, the new film lurches into this awkward space where it isn't clear if Pinocchio is unusual at all. Geppetto is surprised to see his creation walking and talking, and the puppet is billed as a remarkable sensation when he's pushed on stage at a traveling theater, but various other people interact with him like he's entirely unremarkable. And unlike in the original film, we never see villainous talking fox Honest John interact with any humans, so it isn't clear whether animals can even talk to people. 

I'm probably overthinking it.

But if you haven't overthought Frozen after watching it three times in a week, are you even a parent ?

Don't get me wrong, the randomness and surrealness of this weird storybook world is one of the best things about any version of Pinocchio. It feels unmoored from the all-too-familiar conventions of Western storytelling (y'know, the hero's journey and Save the Cat and all those narrative conventions that rob most movies of their power to surprise). Compared to mainstream films like, for instance, that other film in which Tom Hanks builds a surrogate son , Pinocchio offers a frisson of demented imagination and a heady whiff of the unexpected that you're usually more likely to find in a film from Japanese animators Studio Ghibli, like Ponyo or My Neighbor Totoro , than a Disney film.

It has to be said that the new version, directed by Robert Zemeckis, plays some things safe. Gone are the original's eyebrow-raising puppet burlesque show, underage cigar smoking and dubious ethnic stereotypes. Fair enough. Although the new version also disinfects the original film's characters, who were far from perfect: the cartoon Pinocchio was endearingly happy to be led astray, embracing sensual pleasures with gusto; while Jiminy Cricket bailed on Pinoke more than once. But in the new version, Pinocchio is disquieted by other juveniles' delinquency, while Jiminy is only torn from his do-gooding task when he's attacked by the film's antagonists. It's all a bit patronizing, and takes away from the misguided marionette's flawed relatability.

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This modern version updates some of the songs and jokes (including Keegan-Michael Key enjoyably blustering some pointed commentary on what it means to chase fame in 2022) and adds a smattering of new characters. There's a lot of potential in the character of Fabiana (Kyanne Lamaya), whose physical disability doesn't prevent her expressing herself through her ballerina puppet. But she and the other additions largely fall flat; for example, in the original, Pinocchio didn't make it to school, but this time he gets there only to be kicked out because of… puppet racism? This new stuff is chucked in and then just as quickly forgotten, rather than being carried through to play a part in the film's conclusion.

Other eccentric choices made by Zemeckis and chums include ripe Italian accents (and the decision to keep the sexy goldfish). It's also afflicted by that all too common blockbuster problem of being too dark -- literally. Pinocchio 2022 is bafflingly murky during several key sequences. When Luke Evans dances along the backs of a team of horses, it should be the sort of memorable showstopper you used to get from Dick Van Dyke in classic Disney fantasies. Instead, you can barely see what's going on.

Ultimately, even if you embrace the fairy tale oddness of this enjoyably bizarre world, the weirdest thing about this new film is how it looks. The recent crop of Disney reboots are often billed as "live action" remakes, but that's a misnomer: they're more accurately described as "photorealistic," because aside from a couple of human actors the visuals are almost entirely computer-generated. 

Technically very clever, but in this case it's harder to buy into the bizarre fairy tale world. Disbelief is easily suspended about animals and humans interacting when they're all of them are animated, but the presence of real human actors may have you questioning why some animals can walk and talk. Most importantly, while I hate to be down on what is probably a mindboggling technical achievement by talented, hardworking and probably underpaid visual effects artists, I just found the smoothly CG-animated Pinocchio puppet less alive than the lively '40s cartoon version.

There's a definite irony here that a movie which makes such a fuss about what it means to be "real" so frequently looks like nothing on the screen is real. Still, the 2022 Disney Pinocchio is amusingly bonkers. And if you or your kids aren't into it, you only have to string them along until Guillermo del Toro's version comes to life.

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Pinocchio Review

Director robert zemeckis doesn’t breathe much life into his pinocchio adaptation..

Pinocchio premieres Sept. 8 exclusively on Disney+.

Pinocchio is Walt Disney Pictures’ 18th go at revisiting one of their beloved classics into what’s become their signature live-action/computer animation hybrid adaptation style. None have ever exceeded what the 2D originals accomplished in terms of originality, visuals, or pure creativity, and only a handful have even tried to distance themselves just a little from their source material. Despite having the incredibly talented Robert Zemeckis directing this one, Pinocchio lands firmly in the middle of that mediocre pack. Creatively, it clearly wrestles with adhering too closely to the superior 1940 version while awkwardly trying to force the old-fashioned story to dip into a jarring, modern voice that is incongruous with how it firmly embraces a 19th century setting and aesthetics. The result is a schizophrenic, bland watch that feels like a big-budget movie made only for 6- to 12-year-olds.

If you’re familiar with either Carlo Collodi’s classic children’s novel, The Adventures of Pinocchio, or Walt Disney’s 1940 animated Pinocchio, the script for this adaptation is going to feel very familiar. It’s still about a little boy puppet, Pinocchio (voiced by Ben Ainsworth), carved by the kind and lonely woodcarver, Gepetto (played by Tom Hanks). Mourning the loss of his own young son, Gepetto wishes upon a star that his creation might become real. Through the magic of The Blue Fairy (Cynthia Erivo), Pinocchio is brought to life with the caveat that for him to become a real boy, he must prove himself to be brave, unselfish, and true. Deputized as his temporary conscience, the earnest Jiminy Cricket (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) promises to help Pinocchio achieve all those things despite lurking temptations.

Co-screenwriters Zemeckis and Chris Weitz ( Cinderella ) adhere to the same structure, sequences, and original songs from Disney’s 1940 animated film. The only material changes here come from Zemeckis’ decision to have some actors give live-action performances, like Hanks’ Gepetto and Luke Evans’ Coachman, and placing some scenes in real standing sets like Gepetto’s workshop shop interior and the wrecked ships inside Monstro, the sea monster’s, belly. The rest is all computer animation which has been a comfort medium for the director since 2004’s The Polar Express . Everything from Gepetto’s tiny pet companions, Cleo and Figaro, to the majority of the hedonistic Pleasure Island are part of the expansive digital canvas of zeros and ones.

In some places it works well, like the ethereal interpretation of The Blue Fairy with her delicate wings and blue glow, or the dappled lit streets and buildings of Gepetto’s charming Italian town. But the film relies on a full cast of entirely computer-generated characters that vary wildly in their success. The digital fur on Honest John (Keegan-Michael Key) and his silent cat pal, Gideon, is far from realistic in a distracting way, which means the uncanny valley problem is strong with them. And narrator Jiminy Cricket is designed to be longer and less cherubic than his 2D-animated counterpart, so he’s more shiny and plastic looking, which translates to coming off as less endearing. He’s also got a meta mouth on him that never quits, which doesn’t help the overall issues of us bonding with the chronically calamity-prone cricket. He’s like a modern character shoehorned into the piece to be cool for today’s kids.

What's the best modern Disney remake?

There are also some major sequences involving water that are undercooked visually. The integration of human actors into crashing waves or riding in boats is a major downgrade from what Zemeckis usually does in the medium, which hopefully implies a suddenly tightened budget and not taste. It makes for some underwhelming scenes that certainly don’t support the “CGI is better than 2D animation” argument.

For those looking for what might be new in this Pinocchio, it’s pretty minimal. There’s the addition of a talking seagull, Sofia (Lorraine Bracco), and the young puppeteer Fabiana (Kyanne Lamaya), who works for Stromboli (Giuseppe Battiston) and befriends puppet Pinocchio when he’s kidnapped by her boss. She’s given her own marionette, Sabina (voiced by Jaquita Ta’le), who gets her own song, “I Will Always Dance,” that is bouncy with a semi-Samba vibe. And musically, legendary composer Alan Silvestri is responsible for the lush score that’s the highlight of the film. He also co-composes with Glen Ballard the aforementioned song, along with three others that unfortunately don’t rise to the caliber of Leigh Harline and Ned Washington’s 1940 compositions, “When You Wish Upon a Star” or “I’ve Got No Strings.”

Otherwise, this Pinocchio feels like a movie mandated to mirror far too closely the animated original, stifled from finding its own original path. And plenty of modern storytellers have had original takes on the Pinocchio story ( Guillermo del Toro’s even releasing his own later this year ), so it's not an impossible feat. Yet this script doesn’t try anything new, aside from the sweet addition of Fabiana and a slightly unexpected ending. Otherwise, it’s like watching someone literally turn the 1940 movie, original designs and all, into a computer-animated version of essentially the same thing.

Which begs the question, if there’s nothing substantive worth changing from their previous take of Pinocchio to make it fit for this generation, why make this at all? Are the anachronistic inclusions in the dialogue, like the name check of actor Chris Pine, or the visual representation of Disney classics in all of Gepetto’s clocks, worth the millions of dollars to make this, enough to get kids today to embrace this version as hip or for them? I’m not sure how that can be when this movie is so firmly immersed in the 19th century that it’s clearly old-fashioned by choice. Suffice it to say, this Pinocchio is going to have a tough time making nostalgia-loving adults happy or demanding tweens (and older) not deem it twee and corny. Its fate will likely be to fade into the background like so many of these adaptations do.

The 25 Best Disney Animated Movies

Pinocchio further proves that Walt Disney Pictures’ obstinate effort to remake all of its classic animated films into hybrid, live-action/computer-animated versions is an exercise in mediocrity. Nothing cinematic, original, or even lasting comes from their ongoing exercise which makes it a continuing head-scratcher. With this retelling, there’s far too much fealty to the visuals and plot points of Walt Disney’s 1940 animated classic, yet the script clearly bristles at being beholden to its old-fashioned constraints. The result is an occasionally beautifully rendered film with a schizophrenic script that alternates between old-timey twee and being too-hip-for-itself meta, complete with anachronistic dialogue. Aside from an unexpected ending, director Robert Zemeckis is basically doing a paint-by-numbers version of the studio’s much better original, just with modern animation and Tom Hanks. And while Tom always tries his best, even he can’t make this redo memorable on its own merits.

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Pinocchio (2020), common sense media reviewers.

Italian live-action version has mild scares and peril.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Courage and curiosity are prominent themes through

Initially Pinocchio doesn't listen to Geppetto, ac

Little violence, but much peril. Character throws

Characters argue and raise their voice at one anot

Wine is seen but not drunk in a cafe. Character sw

Parents need to know that Pinocchio is a live-action Italian (with English subtitles) retelling of the famous story about a puppet boy, with some perilous and unsettling scenes for younger viewers. Those familiar with the original story won't be surprised by the plot. But this version is far more quirky and…

Positive Messages

Courage and curiosity are prominent themes throughout. The story famously highlights the importance of telling the truth, with Pinocchio's nose growing with each passing lie. Love and listening to elders is also important.

Positive Role Models

Initially Pinocchio doesn't listen to Geppetto, acting disrespectfully and disobediently. But he eventually comes round and realizes the that Geppetto only wants what's best for him. Geppetto is a trickster who will pretend that things are broken in order to have something to fix and make money from it. But his heart is in the right place and he becomes a loving father when Pinocchio is made. There are several characters, such as the Fox and the Cat, who wish to con Pinocchio in order to take his money. They both display dreadful table manners too, and continuously attempt to swindle the innocent boy.

Violence & Scariness

Little violence, but much peril. Character throws a hammer at another's face, who subsequently cries. Character is taken away by the circus and chased through woods. A disturbing image of a character being hung from a tree. When ill and refusing to take medicine, a character is woken up to pallbearers insisting the coffin they are carrying is for them. Someone is washed up on the beach after swimming against aggressive waves. A teacher is shown hitting students on the hands in front of the class. Unsettling scene when a character transforms into a donkey. A whale swallows a character whole, although they escape unharmed. Each time they tell a lie, a character's nose grows longer, which may alarm younger viewers.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Characters argue and raise their voice at one another, but there is no bad language to speak of.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Wine is seen but not drunk in a cafe. Character swigs from a small bottle, presumed to be alcohol. Character accuses another of "drinking too much" after revealing a young puppet has evidently come to life.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Pinocchio is a live-action Italian (with English subtitles) retelling of the famous story about a puppet boy, with some perilous and unsettling scenes for younger viewers. Those familiar with the original story won't be surprised by the plot. But this version is far more quirky and darker than previous versions, including Disney's 1940 animated offering . The values and morals of Pinocchio (Federico Ielapi) are explored as he initially refuses to go to school or respect his maker, Geppetto ( Roberto Benigni ). But eventually as the story progresses he understands the strength in family and respect, as well as, famously, the importance of telling the truth. Pinocchio does encounter many villainous characters along the way who attempt to manipulate and steal from him. But it's so surreal and characters often do not even resemble people, which makes it seem more fantastical and less real. There is brief violence when Pinocchio throws a hammer in the face of the talking cricket. There is also much peril throughout the tale. Pinocchio struggles to swim in the sea, is kidnapped by a traveling circus, and of course is swallowed by a whale. There is also brief alcohol consumption, but it's subtle enough that children may not even realize. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (17)
• Kids say (11)

Based on 17 parent reviews

So sinister and weird do not watch.

Unnecessarily scary scenes ruin what could have been children's movie., what's the story.

PINOCCHIO is the story of a young puppet who dreams of becoming a real boy. Downtrodden woodcarver Geppetto ( Roberto Benigni ) one day makes a puppet, and much to his surprise, it comes to life. Pinocchio (Federico Ielapi) should be at school leading a normal life, but curiosity gets the better of him and he winds up on an adventure far away from home.

Is It Any Good?

This movie comes from the creative mind of director Matteo Garrone who brings his distinctive surrealist and dark cinematic style to a much known and loved tale. This live-action version of Pinocchio -- in Italian with English subtitles -- is very much a retelling of the original Carlo Collodi story as opposed to the 1940 Disney animation , and it thrives in the absurd world that's spawned from the writer's mind. Garrone doesn't shy away from being strange, and this movie wears it's bizarre tone and aesthetic like a badge of honor.

The look is somewhat unsettling though, and what transpires is quite a scary film. Even though it remains accessible to all the family, the sheer oddity of it may well lead to a restless night, even for adults. Benigni -- who played Pinocchio in a terrible 2002 live-action version -- is brilliant as Geppetto. In fact one of the downsides is that he's not given more screen time, as he's undoubtedly the best thing about the film. While Pinocchio's adventures are more integral to the plot, it's a joy when back in the presence of the aforementioned woodcarver.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the more scary scenes in Pinocchio . Which bits did you find most intense? Did the fantasy element make it any less scary? How to choose a scary movie for your kid.

Discuss the relationship between Pinocchio and Geppetto. How does it change over the course of the movie? Geppetto proves to be a strong role model in Pinocchio's life. What positive role models do you have in your life?

Pinocchio's nose grows every time he lies. Talk about the notion of lying. What are the repercussions of telling lies in real life? Why is it important that we tell the truth?

How does this version of the story compare to others, such as the Disney animation? Which one did you prefer and why? Why do you think this is a story that keeps getting retold?

Movie Details

• In theaters : December 25, 2020
• On DVD or streaming : March 2, 2021
• Cast : Federico Ielapi , Roberto Benigni , Rocco Papaleo
• Director : Matteo Garrone
• Studio : Roadside Attractions
• Genre : Fantasy
• Topics : Magic and Fantasy , Adventures , Book Characters , Puppets
• Character Strengths : Courage , Curiosity
• Run time : 125 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : some disturbing images
• Last updated : July 25, 2022

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