REVIEW | Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022)

No — Tom Hanks isn’t Geppetto in this one.

A model example of art imitating life, imitating art (imitating life).

SYNOPSIS

Revisit Carlo Collodi’s classic tale of a puppet who dreamed to be a boy, a father that longed for a son, and the events that would bridge their bond for endless retellings. This time, with the visionary guidance of Guillermo del Toro — along with the emmaculate and enchanting craft of stop-motion animation.

*Minor spoilers for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio ahead*

GdT reaching GOAT status

By this point, I could simply say, “It’s a Guillermo del Toro film”
and it would be a good enough reason to buy into the movie.

But fortunately, there’s no overstating the wonderous and whimsical worlds that are conceived from the maestro director’s mind. GdT’s work consistently succeeds in bringing mythic folklore, a touch of history, and a wealth of culture into his movies —

—and Pinocchio is delightfully not exempted from that.

To put it simply: This adaptation is a welcome revitalisation of a familiar story, paired with the unhinged imagination of seasoned artists and passionate craftspeople.

Endearing characters that shape the story

Like any fable, the characters that populate this tale are infinitely more than just figures in a frame.

From the smallest critter to the ethereal entities — each character is remarkably designed with GdT’s figurative fingerprints to echo the aesthetics of familiar children’s books. All while materialising the symbolic storytelling and metaphoric morality that rests at the core of all timeless narratives.

You’ll laugh, cry, and scowl at the comical caricatures and creatively conceived creatures that fill the scenes from start to finish. Which is more than appropriate for a story that focuses on what it means to be alive.

A renaissance of stop-motion animation

It could have been live-action (costumes and prosthetics), it could have been CGI (photorealistic or visual exaggerations) — it could have been any one of the commercialised forms of animation.

But instead, GdT chose to thread-the-needle and make the most creatively-industrious version of Pinocchio we’ve ever seen by use of stop-motion animation. A method that’s arguably the most artistic form of motion picture animation, thanks to the level of craft and commitment that the format demands.

Thanks to the painstaking process of stop-motion, you can expect Pinocchio to use all of its 114-minute runtime to exhibit the utmost splendour of every frame and every sequence. Meaning that you only get the best-of-the-best out of every scene because of the commitment and expertise that goes into every [literal] frame.

And although “frame-by-frame puppeteering” sounds traditional and archaic — somehow, ShadowMachine Studios and The Jim Henson Company have managed to achieve a level of animation that’s not only buttery smooth, but also astoundingly organic.

It’s basically “see it to believe it” stuff.

Miniature sets, MONUMENTAL spectacles

Speaking of “exhibiting spectacles”, there’s also something to be said about Pinocchio’s exceptionally dynamic and awe-inspiring cinematography.

Especially because of the meticulous nature of the art form.

You would be justified to anticipate stop-motion efforts to be riddled with flaws, errors, and illusion-breaking details. But instead. you get scenes that are artistically amplified by the masterful motions and manipulations of the puppets, environments, and surrounding natural elements.

Besides the fact that almost every single frame is particularly refined —the subject and composition also stands out as though you could hit “Pause” on any sequence and print out a mesmerising postcard from that timestamp.

I mean, no puppet movie needs to look this good. And yet, here we are.

SUMMARY

In short — you can rest assured that this refreshing take on Pinocchio is anything but ordinary.

Like the signature style and substance of auteur directors that shine through any project they embark upon — Gullermo del Toro’s Pinocchio reimagines a beloved fable to fantastic effect by blending beauty with tragedy, fantasy with reality, and technicality with artistry.

In other words — it’s as if Christopher Nolan was doing a STAR WARS movie.

An impossibility as long as Disney’s in the room — but more importantly, that’s the same “visionary effect” reaction that comes through from a storytelling savant like Guillermo del Toro.

Not bad for a movie about a puppet, WITH puppets.