Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio: Film Review
Disney’s recent live-action remake of Pinocchio was decidedly not great so thankfully we didn’t have to wait long for the better version of Pinocchio to come along, courtesy of Guillermo del Toro.
The film tells the story of Geppetto (voiced by David Bradley), a grieving woodcarver who turns to drink to numb his pain following the death of his son Carlo. He makes a wooden puppet named Pinocchio (Gregory Mann) and he is brought to life by the Wood Sprite (Tilda Swinton). He longs to be a real boy and Geppetto’s new son but soon catches the eye of circus ringmaster Count Volpe (Christoph Waltz), who wants him to become his latest star attraction.
This sounds a bit different to what you might remember, doesn’t it? If you’re expecting this movie to be a stop-motion remake of the Disney film, you’ll be very mistaken. Del Toro and co-director Mark Gustafson have reimagined the classic story and taken inspiration from the darkness of Carlo Collodi’s original novel, The Adventures of Pinocchio. You’ll recognise the main characters but there are some new players in the line-up, the characterisation of the familiar ones is rather different and the story has undergone several changes.
It shouldn’t be much of a surprise with del Toro but his version of Pinocchio is dark, strange and probably not suitable for small children. The story does not shy away from Carlo’s death, Geppetto’s drunken pit of grief and its setting in 1930s fascist Italy, plus the Wood Sprite and her sister, Death, are quite creepy!
The animation is absolutely stunning. I have so much respect for stop-motion animators because it’s slow, painstaking work. It’s amazing how they bring these characters to life and imbue the figurines with so much emotion and feeling. I was constantly in awe of the skill involved.
But it’s not just beautiful to look at – the story is excellent. The narrative strikes the perfect balance of light vs shade as well as amusing comedy and fun adventure vs sad moving moments. It takes a sombre look at death and grief but it never feels too much. Within that delicate balance, the directors also find space for a few wonderful songs. Yes, this is also musical, although there are only a handful of tunes.
Ewan McGregor serves as the film’s narrator, the wise Sebastian J Cricket, who lives inside of Pinocchio’s hollow body. He serves as the young puppet’s conscience and tries to make him see reason when he’s being disobedient and rowdy. Newcomer Mann gives Pinocchio a sunny, energetic voice that directly contrasts with the weary, downtrodden tones of Bradley as Geppetto.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is a technical achievement, a feast for the eyes and its story ticks all the boxes.
In selected cinemas and on Netflix from 9th December