Now for the Netflix version:
Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio also has its Geppetto (David Bradley) build his Pinocchio (Gregory Mann) in the likeness of his late son. We actually meet the boy, Carlo, and spend some time with him and Geppetto in an endearing prologue. But it's World War 1 and Carlo is killed in an air raid. Mussolini reigns over Italy by the time Geppetto gets to work. Sebastian J. Cricket (Ewan McGregor) resides in the pine tree Geppetto uses for puppet fodder. He's a natural choice for conscience when a Wood Sprite (Tilda Swinton) brings Pinocchio to life.
The village and Geppetto are unnerved by the animate wood boy in their midst. The impresario Count Volpe (Christoph Waltz) sees a new star for his circus, while the local Podesta (Ron Perlman) sees the perfect fascist soldier. Sebastian has his work cut out for him guiding Pinocchio down the straight and narrow. Pinocchio can die, but not for very long. He'll still have to spend a bit longer with Death herself (also Swinton), who tells him to make the most of his existence. It all comes to ahead when Geppetto meets the Terrible Dogfish.
Del Toro, along with his co-director, Mark Gustafson, and co-writers Patrick McHale and Matthew Robbins, visualize a unique take on Collodi's story. It's a tale where, instead of turning kids into donkeys, the Podesta turns them into fascist soldiers. Our introduction to the training camp is unnerving as the kids revel in their war games. It only gets creepier from there. Its themes of mortality are more obvious than in previous versions as Pinocchio is faced with outliving Geppetto. His sacrificing himself to save Geppetto is quite moving. It still has some much-needed humor, including a surprisingly funny song mocking Il Duce in-person and a sea captain Geppetto meets. Both Il Duce and the Sea Captain share an actor: Tom Kenny.
We empathize with Geppetto as he mourns for Carlo in a montage. He creates Pinocchio with the furor of Dr. Frankenstein flat out drunk. He's naturally unnerved when Pinocchio comes alive like a creaky ghost. Pinocchio himself is flippantly curious as he explores the world in song; even him setting his feet on fire is fun to him! His growing up into a selfless boy is a compelling arc throughout 117 minutes. We see him help Volpe's monkey, Spazzatura (Cate Blanchett), stand up to Volpe's abuse. We see him bond with the Podesta's son, Candlewick (Finn Wolfhard), and help him stand up to the old man. He even puts his lying to inventive use to escape the Dogfish. His unpolished design (Geppetto was too drunk to finish him!) doesn't detract from his compelling arc.
Now for a few words about Sebastian. His pompousness is amusing, while the slapstick he endures is hysterical. His chemistry with Geppetto is a nice addition to the story. He eventually proves himself just as noble as the little wooden head. You'll feel for him when he selflessly wishes Pinocchio back to life. He gets a song during the end credits after getting interrupted throughout the film. It's an OK song. But overall, you'll remember Sebastian just as well as Jiminy Cricket by the time it's done.
The stop-motion characters and their environments are perfectly crafted creations. The animators' stunning work makes these puppets as real as human actors are. Spazzatura can only communicate with monkey noises and body language. But he doesn't need to say a lot to get the audience's attention. The underworld rabbits and the two spirits are as unnerving as they are splendid. We still feel for Pinocchio despite his imperfect design. Alexandre Desplat, as usual, sets the enchanting mood right with his score. Meanwhile, his military themes befit the imposing Podesta. He also collaborated with Del Toro, McHale, and Roeben Katz, on the songs, the centerpiece of which is the stirring Ciao Papa. Both song and score are now Golden Globe nominated and they'll surely get Oscar notice next month. They should.
Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio resembles less of the novel than Disney's did. It does resemble the seminal manga and anime Astro Boy a bit more, though (itself inspired by Pinocchio). The film will stick with you better than not only Astro Boy's 2009 film, but Disney's recent remake as well. It's a strong story about one puppet's quest for validation. Its ending is quite powerful. I could have seen it when it was in theaters a few weeks ago, but I wanted to watch it and Disney's remake the same day (why? why not?). I found it easier to do that at home. This is the clear winner of the matchup. Netflix and chill with this unforgettable take on the famous story. Sure, it's creepy, but remember the donkey racket in the 1940 film?
I'm sure you do.
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