Guillermo del Toro brings the best Pinocchio yet in this carefully handcrafted slow-motion adaptation. It feels very del Toro and you can see the love and passion that was put into it. The slow-motion animation is some of the most beautiful i've seen it has a distinctive appearance and the movements are fluid I forgot it was animation at times. Such an impressive cast they all did amazing and Ewan McGregor as Jiminy Cricket (or should I say Sabastian J. Cricket) was absolute perfection. It deals with father son relationships, family, staying true to yourself, self-acceptance and more mature themes like death and what it means to be human. The story is rich and layered and it's easy to get an emotional attachment. One thing they did right this time is they added so much backstory and context to how Pinocchio was created it really immersed me into the character and the world. Guillermo's usual aesthetics are felt and they make this even better I loved the sea creature and the darker themes. My only criticism is the songs could of been better and they weren't memorable but at least we got Ewan McGregor to sing. Overall a beautiful film I would definitely revisit. Did we get another Pinocchio this year I can't remember?

I've never been able to connect with the original Pinocchio story. The peak of crappiness was reached a few months ago with the new Disney film. Fortunately, Guillermo del Toro does a much better job. Despite the fact that the core of the story is the same as in previous adaptations, del Toro adds some interesting elements. It was a particularly wise decision to relocate the plot to fascist Italy in the 1930s.

I liked the prologue very much right away. It does a good job of portraying what Geppetto's emotional state is like. Also, del Toro manages to let his penchant for dark fantasy shine through during Pinocchio's first appearance and several later moments. Almost every time the wooden puppet begins to speak, however, he is just as annoying as he was in the other films.

The biggest strength of this movie is definitely the look. The animation style is not at all like what you are used to seeing. It is perhaps the most beautiful animated film of the year. The soundtrack is also fitting. Only the few musical interludes did not appeal to me. They always seemed a bit out of place. When there is no singing, the voice actors are consistently strong, though.

In the end, del Toro did not manage to make me a fan of the original Pinocchio story. But whenever he deviates from the source material, he delivers. Moreover, the film is a feast for the eyes. If you have a Netflix subscription, you can definitely have a good time watching it.

I’m sure we all agree that Pinocchio shouldn’t have any more adaptations, especially now that we finally got a nearly perfect one. Del Toro uses Pinocchio as a universal figure and manages to reimagine his own tale while retaining the spirit of the original. The setting has been changed to Fascist Italy, with Pinocchio acting as the spiritual opposite of Mussolini’s “Believe, Obey, Fight” slogan. The most abused puppet in literature questions everything, doesn’t listen to anybody, and is emotionally incapable of entering into a conflict. He will ultimately find out the true meaning of life and humanity, yet without having us go through the same episodes that we’ve already witnessed countless times in other adaptations.

Although the anti-totalitarian message is on point for most of the movie, it sadly loses its focus near the end. While I was expecting things to take a grittier direction and deliver the final message, the plot suddenly changes route to bring back the dogfish from the novel and leave the rest behind.
Other than that, I found the movie brilliant and capable of speaking to all kinds of audiences, often striking my heart with the simplest considerations about life. The production design is astonishing, even though it might scare off young children in a couple of moments.

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://www.msbreviews.com/movie-reviews/guillermo-del-toro-pinocchio-spoiler-free-review

"Pinocchio retells the famous tale of the wooden puppet through visually lovely stop-motion animation, featuring several bold narrative changes that make this remake more human, emotional, and thematically profound than so many other adaptations.

Unforgettable dialogues about loss, love, and being the best version of ourselves elevate an adventure of self-discovery. The voice cast couldn't have been better, while the (new) music manages to be both playful and lyrically rich.

Guillermo del Toro simply cannot fail."

Rating: B+

Guillermo del Toro has crafted a darker yet equally emotional version of _Pinocchio_. It is exquisitely and intricately animated with rich textures, gorgeous lighting, and mostly welcome character reinventions. The transition to Fascist Italy fits del Toro’s vision well, but the changes remove and alter enjoyable story elements that are surely missed. _Pinocchio_ is absolutely a contender for this year’s best-animated film, but it is a film that I hoped to adore and yet only deeply appreciate.

**Full review:** https://boundingintocomics.com/2022/12/12/guillermo-del-toros-pinocchio-review-familiar-fantasy-branches-into-wondrous-stop-motion-and-the-horrors-of-war/