Director: Guillermo del Toro, Mike Gustafson
Starring: Voices of: Gregory Mann, Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Ron Perlman, Finn Wolfhard, Cate Blanchett, Francesca Fanti, Burn Gorman, Tim Blake Nelson, Tilda Swinton, John Turturro, Christoph Waltz
Distributor: Netflix
Runtime: 117 mins. Reviewed in Nov 2022
Reviewer: Fr Peter Malone msc

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Rating notes: Scary scenes, mature themes and violence

A serious version of the classic story of a father’s wish to magically bring a wooden boy to life in Italy, but set during WWI and the Fascist era of Mussolini.

Voices of: Gregory Mann, Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Ron Perlman, Finn Wolfhard, Cate Blanchett, Francesca Fanti, Burn Gorman, Tim Blake Nelson, Tilda Swinton, John Turturro, Christoph Waltz. Directed by Guillermo del Toro, Mike Gustafson. 117 minutes. Rated (Scary scenes, mature themes and violence).

Another Pinocchio? Well, not exactly. This version has the director’s name in the title. Del Toro is Mexican but has been successful in the US with films such as Nightmare Alley, Shape of Water, the Hellboy films, as well as the Spanish classic, Pan’s Labyrinth. It is clear he likes imaginative stories and treatments.

While the familiar story of Pinocchio is present (without the story of the lost boys and their turning into donkeys), this version is idiosyncratic and distinctive. First, it is stop-motion animation with striking characters, situations and action, but often with a dark tone. The director has assembled a strong voice cast, young Gregory Mann as Pinocchio and veteran actor David Bradley as Geppetto. Ewan McGregor does the commentary as Sebastian J Cricket. (And, the baboon character, assistant to Count Volpe (a sinister Christophe Waltz) with his travelling show, has only strange sound utterances from Cate Blanchett!).

Audiences will be taken aback when they learn the action begins in 1916, during World War I, Geppetto is working with his beloved son Carlo on a giant crucifix for the local church (there are a number of Catholic references) when Carlo is killed by a bomb dropped from an overhead plane. Geppetto goes into decline – but he does carve his puppet, Pinocchio. There is the dream where the Blue Fairy gives the gift of life to Pinocchio (which means that if he experiences death, he comes to life again). And Sebastian J Cricket, more serious, perhaps than usual, is there as Pinocchio’s conscience and guide, as well is the narrator of the film.

The action now takes place during the Fascist years of Mussolini (who also comes to the circus to see the puppet but receives some comeuppance). The sinister Count Volpe controls Pinocchio and his performances with a contract. In the meantime, the Fascist leader of the town demands that Pinocchio go to school. We are familiar with what happens to Pinocchio but this continues over a long period, the count becoming more exploitative, the baboon and the other puppets becoming more friendly, and Geppetto searching for his son and being swallowed by the huge sea-beast.

So, it is a strange experience, watching this story of Pinocchio and Geppetto during World War I, the Fascist era in Italy, moving towards World War II (the same time as Disney’s original film, 1940, was screening round the world).

The theme of father and son is strong. The important message of telling lies – and Pinocchio’s branch-like extending nose is striking – is significant. There are a lot of funny slapstick scenes, especially involving the cricket. And there are some songs, especially on the theme of father and son.

This version of Pinocchio is not really geared towards a children’s audience, nor, necessarily, a family audience. Attentive younger audiences will find it intriguing. As will an increasingly curious adult audience.