A magical yet dark stop-motion musical version of Carlo Collodi’s character from his children’s novel as a wooden marionette dreams of becoming a real boy.
Set in the early days of the rise of Mussolini’s fascism, an air of menace pervades del Toro’s film with Carlo, the woodcarver’s son, killed by the bombing of the village in World War II. Geppetto grieves for his beloved son when a kindly wood sprite brings the puppet to life to support the old man. But the cruel Count Volpe, head of a struggling touring circus, sees a fortune to be made in the living marionette…
Narrated by Cricket, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is a sumptuous telling of the tale interweaving the director’s love of the darker symbolism of fairytales and myths (Pan’s Labyrinth, The Devil’s Backbone) with the more traditional Collodi character. It’s an extraordinary achievement yet one that doesn’t quite pay off. For all it’s darkness and wry humour (the deadpan commentary from Ewan McGregor as Cricket a standout), the consistent upbeat one level shrillness of Pinocchio ultimately grates, reducing any possibilities of much-needed charm.
Nominated for best animated film Oscar in 2023
Rating: 62%
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