Disney's second big-time animated feature looks markedly better than _Snow White_, no small feat, but otherwise falls a little bit short of meeting that first film's high standard. _When You Wish Upon a Star_ notwithstanding, the songs aren't as memorable, the foil isn't as well-defined and the plot is less focused. Which isn't to trash the whole effort - it's still an incredibly charming, timeless creative success - just maybe a slight letdown in some crucial areas.

Pinocchio himself is as inherently innocent as they come, it's an essential part of his character, but that leads him into a lot of easily-avoided trouble. Somewhat frustrating to watch, as he fails to learn from countless mistakes and warnings, but it could be argued that's childhood in a nutshell. The mythical "get out of jail free" card he carries, an extremely forgiving (and slightly unnerving) fairy, bails him out of nearly every jam, anyway, so the greater dangers ultimately feel rather toothless.

The story skips around a lot, bouncing from a jolly family home to a rowdy stage show, a risqué island of naughty indulgence (and puzzling transformation) to the cramped confines of a whale's belly. That gives the visual crew ample opportunity to flex, but also feels excessive and disjointed. More like a series of one-off episodes than a single, cohesive story, at least until the third act. There's also a team of anthropomorphic cats carousing about, causing trouble, which is odd given the otherwise all-human population, and undercuts the fundamental strangeness of a wooden puppet come to life.

Disney's wand still has plenty of magic - _Pinocchio_ is a constant visual delight - but in this case, it would benefit from a longer attention span.