Movie Review: Pinocchio

 

Note: This film is available to watch on Netflix.

Michael's Movie Grade: A+

This wonderful stop motion movie is one of Guillermo del Toro's best films. 

Guillermo del Toro has been wanting to make this movie for a very long time and when he finally made it, it was a pure passion project. This passion can be felt for the entire film. There is so much love put into every moment here and it is filled with the magic that only movies can bring. This is far from a straight adaption of Carlo Collodi's famous story nor is it a remake of Disney's infamous 1940 film version (though it borrows aspects from both). This is clearly its own story and it creates its own world. This world is an incredible world that can be magical at times and dark at others. The sheer amount of imagination that went into this film is simply wonderful. This is especially true of the Land of the Dead, which is not only wonderfully designed (seriously it is simply breathtaking to look at) but also quite intriguing and thought provoking when you stop to think about it. Yet this world can also often eerily similar to ours, despite the fantasy. The film takes place in WW2 era Italy, which allows the filmmakers to comment on fascism, war and political indoctrination of children. Yet this is not forced into the movie in any way but is a natural part of it. They play an important role in Pinocchio's journey and become necessary to move the story where it needs to go. The scenes that deal with these issues are not only thought provoking but downright chilling. There is little more frightening than children being made to play a part in the war games of grown-ups and this movie delves into that horror. Though we see a sea beast and have to deal with death itself, it is these scenes that are the most terrifying. Yet this is not the only deep delve into topics that are not seen often enough in animated movies. This film also takes a look at the idea of immortality. It does not treat this topic with a good or bad type of simplicity but rather can heavily look at the dark side of it, while not overlooking the obvious appeal. This movie's look at this often-difficult topic, leads to a powerful conclusion that will forever stay in my mind. Yet this film does not forsake its entertainment value for these topics. Instead, this movie is a joy to watch. First off this film looks incredible. This may be one of the best looking animated films since the golden age of animation. There is so much detail that goes into every little thing you see. The result is something that draws you completely into the world of the movie. There are times when you can forget you are looking at animation and instead feel like you are looking at a window into another world. This is helped by wonderful character animation that makes the characters feel completely alive. This movie also benefits from a good sense of humor, some exciting action scenes, fun songs and a true sense of wonderment.

A true masterpiece.