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When any Disney movie gets the live-action treatment, there is bound to be some skepticism. Pinocchio is the latest film to literally come to life and it has been met with a lot of mixed reviews. Some hardcore fans love it for the nostalgia that it brings. However, others are feeling that it is a complete waste of time. What is it really? Read on for all of the details.
*Warning: do not read ahead if you have not seen it as this contains SPOILERS*
Pinocchio Gets The Live-Action Treatment & Tries To Make Sense
In this live-action remake of the 1940 Disney favorite, woodworker Geppetto is carving a young boy out of pine. As time progressed with the animated version, this seemed to be quite odd. Why would a grown man want a real boy? That’s where the 2022 movie aims to clear this completely up. As it turns out, Geppetto had lost both his wife and his son so that is where his desire for a “real boy” came from. Keeping with tradition, Jiminy Cricket comes along as the narrator but he starts out homeless. He actually has no conscience until Geppetto wishes for Pinocchio to become a real boy.
The Blue Fairy enters and tells Pinocchio he must be brave, truthful, and unselfish. Then, he can become a real boy. Plus, she makes Jiminy his official conscience thus giving him his fancy suit and top hat. It is when Geppetto deems his new “son” ready for school that things go south. He meets Honest John on his way and he tells him he can make his dad proud by becoming famous. Pinocchio gets trapped and is taken to Stromboli. He turns Pinocchio into a sideshow act but luckily, he meets another marionette, Sabina.
Luckily, Jiminy finds “Pinoke” and is able to unlock him from the cage he is in but only thanks to his growing nose from telling lies. They rush home but Pinocchio once again gets swept away by a coach of kids headed to Pleasure Island. As for Geppetto, he realizes his son is missing and sells his beloved clocks to buy a boat to get to Pleasure Island. In the end, the family is reunited but Pinocchio never becomes a real boy. Jiminy shares that there are tales he became real but he is always real in his heart.
Where This Movie Goes Wrong
The cast of Pinocchio is phenomenal. Main standouts were Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Jiminy, Luke Evans as The Coachman, and especially Cynthia Erivo as The Blue Fairy. She won the film as did Benjamin Evan Ainsworth in the voice of Pinocchio. Tom Hanks is always stellar so this was no surprise. The CGI was not as bad as some may have said. Figaro the cat was delightful and Cleo the fish was charming. Furthermore, clearing up why Geppetto wanted a “real boy” was greatly appreciated. Yet, that is where the goodness of the film stops.
There were so many terrifying moments that are most definitely not suitable for children. By far, the worst moment in the film was when all of the kids were taken to Pleasure Island. Once they arrived, they were encouraged to loot. Kids were seen throwing bricks through windows and at the schoolhouse. They were stealing from stores and it was absolutely horrific. Granted, they turned into donkeys but it was sick to watch. More so, there was so much stealing of children, regardless of if Pinocchio was a puppet or not.
Another disturbing moment was when Pinocchio caught on fire from dancing too hard for Stromboli. In the end, this is a movie to watch at your own risk. Visually, it is fun as is the acting but the story is too haunting and it probably should have stayed animated. On IMDb, it has received a 5.2/10, 30% on Rotten Tomatoes, and 41% on Metacritic. Have you watched it yet? Let us know and if not, find Pinocchio, now streaming on Disney+.
* Keep an eye out for Easter eggs when it comes to the clocks. There are so many Disney movies that keep popping in and out!*