'Pinocchio' movie review: Guillermo del Toro's puts a whimsical spin on this oft-adapted story

Now that is the 'Pinocchio' I like.

In September this year, Disney released a live-action remake of the 1940 animated classic 'Pinocchio'. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, the film robbed the original of the magic that made it special in the first place. Classic 2D animated films have a certain artistic value. Transforming those beautifully handcrafted frames to drab reality, as a rule, is never a good idea, especially when the attempt is just to cash in on the nostalgia and not to do something fresh. (Just an aside, but Disney should really stop remaking animated films). Now Netflix's stop-motion animated pic 'Pinocchio', also called 'Guillermo del Toro's 'Pinocchio'', is not surprisingly a much, much better adaptation—edgy, darker, and way more emotionally satisfying.

Directed del Toro and Mark Gustafson and scripted by del Toro and Patrick McHale, the film changes the period of the film but hovers closer to the original story by Italian author Carlo Collodi. Instead of the 1880s, the film is set in Fascist Italy. del Toro's films, although often concerned with otherworldly monsters and weird creatures, never shy away from contextualising stories and characters firmly in their politics and social milieu. Only, he extensively uses metaphors, and many tend to utterly miss the point of his stories.

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He has always been attracted to those who do not belong. His movies, many of which can be characterised as fairy tale movies for adults, more often than not explore the weird and the monstrous. For him, monsters do not exist for our fear and loathing. He thinks of them as manifestations of our inner demons. Monsters in his stories are strange and often repellent, but simultaneously beautiful in a strange way.

'Pinocchio' follows the titular puppet, carved by one Master Geppetto (David Bradley) who has been grieving for his son. Put in a little fairy magic and, lo and behold, the puppet comes alive. This is not good news to Geppetto, however, who sees the "fire hazard" as an abomination—not only unworthy to be son, but something to be abhorred, to be disgusted by.

And honestly, the puppet is indeed depicted as quite ugly, a misshapen carving only vaguely humanoid in appearance (which is, again, closer to Collodi's original story). The mischievous and impudent boy yearns to become a real human boy. For Geppetto, he comes to fill the void left by his son. Pinocchio, on the other hand, finds his humanity and a sense of purpose.

Sebastian J. Cricket (Ewan McGregor) is also there, serving as the narrator and a pal of Pinocchio. Despite the 'unfinished' look, 'Pinocchio' comes across as more endearing than he has any right to be. Child actor Gregory Mann does a great job of bringing out the innocence and lovability of the character. Right from the first moment, it opens its eyes, so to speak, you will fall in love with its little lump of wood with anthropoid features. I know I did.

The story has other minor changes from the original novel. For instance, instead of The Coachman, we get a government official Podestà, who thinks, Pinocchio, a puppet who cannot die (for long anyway), would be the perfect soldier to take on Italy's enemies.

The visuals, as expected from a film made by del Toro and stop motion master Gustafson are quite pleasing. There is something about the stop-motion technology that feels granular, and authentic (I am aware this is a magic-infused animated setting), and the visual aesthetic perfectly suits the story.

There are so many awe-inspiring moments, and once again you end up wishing Netflix released some of its projects on the big screen here in India. A theatrical screen would have embellished the meticulous imagery. Alexandre Desplat's outstanding would also have been better served with cinema-quality surround sound. As it is, 'Pinocchio' is one of this year's pretties looking and sounding films.

The film explores those trademark del Toro themes of a sense of belonging, lost innocence, distinctiveness, authoritarianism, and so on. Since this is Mussolini's era, Il Duce himself turns up, shooting the performing puppet and sending him to one of his many deaths. It must be said that the political setting does not gel as well as you would expect. It feels slightly forced, and the transpiring events are not particularly affected by the regime ruling Italy.

The ending is a gut punch, an emotional payoff worthy of the character arc.

'Pinocchio' is fantastic.

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