Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

To state that Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (currently streaming on Netflix) is better than the live action remake of the 1940 animated film currently streaming on Disney+ goes without saying.  This is one of the rare instances where the same story has inspired both one of the best and worst films of the same year.  What del Toro does is add layers of satire and social commentary, as well as adding his love of supernatural elements, all without losing the innocence and charm of the original story.

Using some of the best stop motion animation I have seen recently, del Toro and fellow screenwriter Patrick McHale (the Cartoon Network miniseries Over the Garden Wall) take the story everyone is familiar with, and add enough emotion, passion, humor and sadness to make it stand out on its own.  It draws from a time period when family entertainment was not afraid to "push boundaries", be scary, or even be tragic in their telling.  The movie is fine for children, but will likely hit adults on an entirely different level.  It's a joyous retelling, and considering that this has been the filmmaker's passion project for a number of decade, I am proud to say that it not only is distinctively the work of del Toro in both its visuals and storytelling, but that the passion for the story comes through in every conceivable way.

Set in Italy during the early days of World War II, we meet up with the sad puppet maker Gepetto (voice by David Bradley) as he mourns the recent loss of his 10-year-old son (Gregory Mann) in an accident.  In a fit of drunken sadness, he fashions a puppet in the form of his son, which is brought to life through the magic of a passing Wood Sprite (Tilda Swinton), who takes pity on the old woodcarver, and grants his wish.  The little puppet (also voiced by Mann) is boisterous, curious, and not always willing to follow the rules, which makes Gepetto second guess his love at times, creating a unique angle where the creator is disappointed that his puppet does not match the ideal vision of his beloved son.

To help Pinocchio become a true boy, he is guided by the somewhat pompous Sebastian J. Cricket (Ewan McGregor), who made a home in the tree that eventually became Pinocchio, and has now been charged with guiding him through life.  In his journey, Pinocchio becomes torn by different figures who wish to guide him.  Aside from Gepetto and Sebastian, there is also the crooked carnival showman (Christophe Waltz) who wishes to make him his star attraction, as well as a fascist military man (Ron Perlman) who sees the little wooden boy as the ultimate soldier, since he technically cannot be killed.  It is this struggle for control over the boy's future, as well as Gepetto's eventual acceptance of him, that creates the heart of the film.

It is the way that del Toro takes these elements, and combines it with the story we know that makes this telling of Pinocchio so memorable.  He also adds some of his own distinct style, such as the depiction of the afterlife that the puppet is sent to each time he "dies", and the magical creatures that inhabit our world, yet rarely interact with humans.  All of this creates a wondrous entertainment, which is aided by the beautiful and unearthly stop motion animation.  Add an incredible level of detail to the backgrounds and the character designs (especially the more mystical creatures that Pinocchio encounters in his journey), and you have what is easily one of the best visual experiences of the year.  More than that, the screenplay knows how to juggle humor, mature themes, and childhood whimsy in a way as to be effortless.

And like the best family films, it can be enjoyed on different levels by anyone who watches it.  Kids will relate to the young hero's carefree personality, and how he looks at the world, as well as the comic relief supplied by the Cricket, who mainly exists to be humorously crushed or flattened. (Like a Looney Tunes character, he always bounces back, no matter what.) Adults, on the other hand, will appreciate the maturity at which the film tackles such subjects as war, family, and finding your place in the world.  Its blend of childhood wonder and social commentary is never forced or heavy handed, and the wonderful voice cast (which also includes the likes of Cate Blanchett, Finn Wolfhard, John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson) perfectly tell the story at hand.

Guillermo del Toro has created a truly magnificent telling here, and one that hopefully will be celebrated for many years to come.  It's truly one of the greats of the year, not just in the field of animation, but in terms of overall filmmaking. 

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