Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio isn’t the first adaptation of Italian author Carlo Collodi’s classic fantasy novel to release this year. Del Toro’s lifelong passion project is by far the more fascinating, inventive, richly layered, and magical of the two. The patron saint of monsters and misfits teams with award-winning, stop-motion legend Mark Gustafson (Fantastic Mr. Fox) to helm a deeply enchanting journey full of heart, breathtaking craftsmanship, and poignant themes set against a backdrop of Fascism.
A preamble shows how master woodcarver Geppetto (David Bradley) came to carve the wooden boy Pinocchio (Gregory Mann) from the pine tree grown by his beloved son Carlo’s grave. Geppetto’s refusal to relinquish his steadfast grip on grief moves the Wood Sprite (Tilda Swinton) to grant Pinocchio life in the hopes of bringing Geppetto happiness. But Pinocchio isn’t like the obedient Carlo, despite many pleas to conform to rules and society by everyone around him. That includes his appointed guide, the raconteur Sebastien J. Cricket (Ewan McGregor), the narrator of this story. The wooden puppet’s curiosity for life, vivacious naïveté, and desire to earn his papa’s approval send him on a profound adventure that’ll teach him what it means to live.
Del Toro and Patrick McHale’s script recontextualizes the classic tale with the simple shift in setting it during Mussolini’s Fascist Italy, a move that adds dramatic and thematic heft. It gives chapters in Pinocchio’s story a more somber edge and turns his penchant for disobedience into a triumphant asset. The ominous emphasis on Fascism brings balance, grounding the whimsy when necessary and lending an almost magical realism quality to the affecting tale.
Even when faithfully interpreting Collodi’s work, including the return to the Terrible Dogfish sea monster over the Disneyfied whale, del Toro’s imprint permeates every facet of this retelling. Explorations of Catholicism and interpretations of Death (also voiced by Tilda Swinton) make their way into Pinocchio’s adventures in ways that feel distinctly del Toro. It enriches the lush worldbuilding already made transcendent by the breathtaking artistry of stop-motion animation.
Gris Grimly’s character design for Pinocchio, the impressive puppeteer work by the Mackinnon & Saunders (Corpse Bride) team, the animation, and the score brings the Jim Henson Company production to life in a bold, breathtaking new way. Gregory Mann impresses most as the mischievous puppet with a heart of gold and the singing voice of an angel. The young actor holds his own against A-list voice acting talent, including the scene-stealing Cate Blanchett, who does remarkable and unrecognizable voice work as abused monkey Spazzatura.
There’s a darker edge to Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, and Death’s presence looms large in an Italy gripped by war and Fascism. But it’s a film that never loses its sense of wonder or zest for life. When the world seems bleak and threatens to swallow its characters whole, Pinocchio’s ability to find amusement in the tiny moments, the lighthearted revelry and jokes, and the earworm songs offset the darkness. It’s a celebratory and infectious reminder of what it means to live and, perhaps more importantly, why doing the right thing can sometimes entail going against the grain. In trying to gain his father’s love and acceptance, del Toro’s impish little wooden puppet learns about life while imparting the wisdom of defiance in the process.
It’s as emotionally disarming as it is visually resplendent.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is playing in limited theaters now and will release on Netflix on December 9, 2022.
