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First appearing in Carlo Collodi’s 1883 children’s tale, The Adventures of Pinocchio, the titular character has become one of the most well-known and recognisable characters in history. This is in part thanks to the countless adaptations created thanks to the stories being a part of the worldwide public domain.
The most famous version of the story is arguably Disney’s 1940s adaptation, which has been named one of the greatest animated movies ever made. Its enduring legacy continues to this day in their theme parks and even a live-action remake released earlier this year on Disney+. Needless to say, the story is well-known and well-loved, and as a cultural icon of Italy, Guillermo del Toro’s version of the story has a lot of shoes to fill.
But does Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio live up to the promises? Was it worth Netflix reviving a project that has been in development hell since 2008?
Yes – because Pinocchio is an absolute modern-day masterpiece.
Beautiful with a Capital B
I went into Pinocchio with no real excitement as I haven’t enjoyed del Toro’s most recent directorial affairs (Nightmare Alley, The Shape of Water, Crimson Peak), but I was engrossed within minutes. With characters inspired by Gris Grimly’s 2002 edition of the book, meticulously crafted set designs and a moving score by Alexandre Desplat, everything about Pinocchio will envelop you in this rich world.
In recent years, LAIKA Studios has become the gold standard when it comes to stop-motion, but Pinocchio (as well as Wendell & Wild) has shown that Netflix Animation should delve into the format even more. Pinocchio is beautifully animated with expert fluidity and the set design is astonishing. Whether you like this film or not, it is no doubt the best-looking version of Pinocchio since Disney’s original adaptation.
Somehow, I had no idea that this movie was a musical, but it didn’t turn me off, and while there are only one or two songs that I didn’t enjoy, even they weren’t enough to take me out of the story. My personal favourites had to be “My Son” and the OSCAR-contender “Ciao Papa”, two very moving songs that help us understand Geppetto’s grief from losing his son, Carlo, and the growing love between himself and Pinocchio.
A Wonderful Cast
An all-star cast leads Pinocchio and everyone brings their respective characters a breath of fresh life, unlike some recent adaptations. But it’s really the key players, Gregory Mann (Pinocchio), David Bradley (Gepetto), and Ewan McGregor (Sebastian J. Cricket) who steal the show.
Gregory Mann is still a relative newcomer to the film industry, but I truly hope we see more of him because his vocal performance as Pinocchio (both speaking and singing) is good enough for an Annie Award. It at times felt similar to Disney’s Pinocchio, with his high-pitched tones, but I ultimately enjoyed Mann a lot more because of how expressive he was throughout the movie.
David Bradley lends his distinctive voice to Gepetto and it seems like a match made in heaven. He and Mann are probably the best cast actors in the entire movie and their chemistry radiates from the screen from start to end. And even though Bradley doesn’t have the best singing voice, he manages to expertly handle the two songs he’s given with enough finesse that he will easily draw a tear from some audiences.
McGregor is by far the most recognisable voice in the movie and his version of the talking cricket is one of the best ones we’ve seen out of all of the Pinocchio adaptations. He is funny, lively and, speaking as someone who doesn’t like the cricket in most adaptations, wanted me to see more of him.
See It In Cinemas!
The problem with Pinocchio is that it’s a Netflix Original which means that finding it in cinemas will be a hard task for many people, and some may even skip it altogether in favour of waiting until it’s “free”. However, if you can, I implore you to see the movie on a big screen because it feels like that’s how it was made. Netflix may be dipping their toes into the world of wide releases, but if Glass Onion and Pinocchio have proven anything it’s that they should accept the fact that some movies should be seen in cinemas.
Directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson, Pinocchio is a masterpiece crafted with so much love and attention that it’s more than deserving of not only winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, but it (more than) deserves a nomination for Best Picture too!
This article was edited by John Tangalin.