November 24, 2022 – This movie is titled “Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio,” because the studio wants you to know that this movie is being directed by an award winning director (Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson). It is definitely not just another cartoon retelling of the 1940 Disney classic.

This new, stop-motion animated version of Pinocchio is co-produced by Gris Grimly, whose designs from his 2002 book “The Adventures of Pinocchio” (which, in turn, is based the 1888 Carlo Collodi book of the same name, the ultimate origin of the story) are incorporated into the film. I haven't read either of these books, and it has been so long since I've seen any Pinocchio film, at least some of this version of the story was new to me.

This distinctive-looking film begins with master wood carver Geppetto working happily along with his son, Carlo, despite the storm clouds of war gathering over Benito Mussolini's Italy just before World War II. When the bombers fly over the city, Carlos runs back into the cathedral to pick up his “perfect pine cone” that he found, just as a bomb hits the building.

Geppetto, devastated for years after his son's death, spends most of his time near his son's grave and a tree that grew from that same perfect pine cone. Along comes Sebastian J. Cricket (who observes and narrates much of the story) an insect writer, who finds a perfect home and writing studio inside the tree, only to have a drunken Geppetto chop down the tree.

Sebastian watches Geppetto turn his tree home into a wooden boy. Then he witnesses a magical wood sprite bring the wooden boy to life. Sebastian promises to help the wooden boy behave himself, and in return, he is promised one wish in the future if he keeps his promise. In the morning, a hung-over Geppetto is shocked by the discovery of Pinocchio, running around his house causing a lot of trouble.

Neither Geppetto nor Pinocchio really know how to relate to one another. Pinocchio is clearly not the clone of Carlo that Geppetto wanted, yet the wooden boy seems eager to please him. Pinocchio has a real zest for life and is eager to explore the world around him. The local villagers don't know what to do about him. He is unruly. He is ordered to attend school by the local authorities.

Others, however, see Pinocchio as a valuable resource. Since Pinocchio cannot die (at least permanently) the local fascists see him as the perfect soldier. The owner of a circus, Count Volpe, sees Pinocchio as a money-making novelty act in his circus, to go along with his precocious performing monkey, Spazzatura.

Volpe, a smooth talker, manages to persuade the naive Pinocchio to join his traveling circus, and sign a contract to perform. Geppetto takes off in pursuit of the circus, always a bit behind. What follows is a series of adventures in military training, circus shows, and being trapped inside of a giant sea monster.

Magic is a big part of the story with Pinocchio traveling back and forth between the world of the living and the world of the dead, where he meets what seems to be the magical sister of the sprite who gave him life in the first place. Along the way, Pinocchio learns more and more from the people he meets. He learns how much Geppetto loves him, and what it means to love, and be loved.

One thing's for sure, this version of Pinocchio is not aimed at kids. It is quite dark. It deals with the dangers of abusive, manipulative people, the dangers of authoritarianism and those who blindly follow corrupt, power-hungry leaders. It is also funny at times, with the main comic relief is in the form of Sebastian J. Cricket who suffers frequent mishaps and indignities, often when he is just starting to sing. He finally does get to sing his song at the end.

Despite its very distinctive look and the rich darkness of its bittersweet story, this is very much in the tradition of Grimms' Fairy Tales and other similar edgy fairy tale stories. It is a tale about morality, and the nature of existence. Despite the fact that this movie went through development hell, it emerges with the distinctive Guillermo del Toro stamp. This film rates a B.

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