2022 AFI Film Festival: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio movie review

I watched Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio on the fourth day of the 2022 AFI Film Festival. Is the latest from the genius director worth checking out? Let’s dive in.

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio follows the age-old tale of Pinocchio but in a slightly darker manner from the visionary mind of Guillermo del Toro, who directed the project with a star-studded voice cast including Ewan McGregor, Finn Wolfhard, Cate Blanchett and young Gregory Mann voicing Pinocchio.

Spoilers ahead of Pinocchio

The movie begins with us meeting Geppetto and his son Carlo. They are living life like any father and son. We see them head to a church where Geppetto was building and painting a wood statue of Jesus. Carlo showed his dad that he had found the perfect pine cone, which meant they could plant it together, and a tree would grow.

As they are inside, we hear a loud bang, and Geppetto gets worried and tells Carlo they have to go. The pair are outside, but then Carlo realizes he forgot his pine cone inside and runs back in to get it. As he does, a bomb from a plane is dropped and hits right inside the church, killing Carlo.

Geppetto was broken and upset and didn’t know how to move forward without his son. So he buried his son and planted the pine cone side by side. Then, one day, while severely drunk, Geppetto decided to chop down the tree and make himself a new son.

As the night progresses, Geppetto builds a wooden boy together that, with a sprinkle of some magic later that night, becomes Pinocchio.

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio has an unexpected emotional depth

Early on, del Toro immediately reels you into this world visually but also emotionally, with the loss of Carlo. It’s hard not to want to get submerged in this idea of grief and overcoming loss that Geppetto is going through because of how del Toro wrote this story (co-written with Patrick McHale).

del Toro perfectly depicted how we struggle with the idea of trying to move past losing someone we love. And no matter how we try, we can’t force someone (in this case, Pinocchio) to fill those shoes. The film’s emotional depth isn’t something I expected to hit me as much as it did. However, as a father, watching a father go through the loss of their son and trying to get back their life is something I couldn’t fathom understanding how to process.

Guillermo del Toro mentioned in a post-Q&A that it took him over a decade to make this film. He couldn’t find anyone willing to fund the film or the time to do the project he wanted until Netflix.

The team behind the streamer, known to provide their directors freedom, told del Toro to make the film you wish to, and we won’t make changes. So he and co-director Mark Gustafson did. It’s crazy to think it took him this long to make Pinocchio, but the trials and tribulations he faced were worth the wait.

Let’s move to the cast within this film, highlighted by the brilliant voice work by Gregory Mann in the role of Pinocchio. The Academy doesn’t look the way of voice acting (they should), but I would love the idea of Mann at least being in the conversation because he belongs in it.

The film had some well-timed comedy relief, most of which came from Ewan McGregor, who was an absolute delight as Sebastian J. Cricket. He’s a quirky, funny character, and you can’t help but love him. McGregor, the pro that he is, adds an extra layer of spunk that only he can bring to a role of this nature.

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is a technical masterpiece.

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is one of the most beautiful animated movies I have ever seen. From the color palette to the attention to detail of little moments truly leaves you mesmerized by what is presented on the screen.

In addition, the work done by these animators is a gentle reminder that animation isn’t easy and that they don’t get enough credit for their work. Plus, the production design to animation to sound editing/mixing, but Alexander Desplat’s score is pitch perfect. I might struggle to ever listen to the score on its own because it might bring me to tears, but it’s so good.

Overall, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is not just one of the best-animated movies of the year but one of the year’s best films. The film is getting a little release in theaters, PLEASE see it on the big screen if you can, otherwise, don’t miss it when it hits Netflix later this year.

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio hit select theaters on Nov. 18, 2022, and is available to stream on Netflix on Dec. 9, 2022.