Pinocchio originated from The Adventures of Pinocchio, written by Italian author Carlo Collodi in 1883. Collodi, born Carlo Lorenzini, was a journalist and writer known for his children’s literature and political satire. The story was first serialized in 1881-1882 in a children’s magazine before being published as a book. It was intended as a moral tale to teach lessons about honesty and good behavior. The character of Pinocchio has since become an iconic figure in literature and popular culture. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio Review Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is an original and somewhat somber take on the well-known fairytale that is vastly superior in many ways to most of its other cinematic brothers. The overall aesthetic is gorgeous, with del Toro’s distinct gothic style and panache for symbolism, breathing life into more than just the titular wooden puppet. Unfortunately, that same complexity may alienate younger viewers who are far less interested in existentialism and the nature of ethics than they would be in a brightly colored and easily digestible morality tale. When combined with a slightly blurred narrative that completely overshadows the moral of the original story, the importance of honesty, the film sometimes tends to drag. This uneven pacing and its murky central theme does much to stall the audience’s emotional connection to its events. However, for those looking for a generally family-friendly film that celebrates the importance of fatherhood and the vital meaning that children can bring to one’s life, they could do far worse.   INAPPROPRIATE ELEMENTS Parental Guidance Suggested Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is rated PG for good reason. Its themes range from melancholy to macabre, and while it is never graphic, neither does it shy away from some mature subjects. Geppetto’s biological son dies just off-screen in a bombing. One of the film’s villains falls off of a cliff to his death. The camera follows him all the way to the rock that he crashes upon. Even though the camera angle hides any blood and broken bones from view, we hear him splatter against the stone and see an arm and a leg sprawled out hanging over the side. A son is physically abused by his father, who picks him up by the throat, strangles him as he casts dispersions, and then throws him to the ground. Another villain regularly threatens other characters by holding the tip of his sword to their throats. How Dry I Am Suffering from the loss of his only son, Geppetto becomes an angry and bitter drunk who is shown several times stumbling around with a bottle of alcohol. Seig Heil The film is set during the rise of Mussolini, between the First and Second World Wars. As such, there are a number of characters who give the Nazi salute, including but not limited to a Catholic priest. Cheese and Crackers Ewan McGregor’s Sebastian J. Cricket exclaims, “Oh my God” at least once.   WOKE ELEMENTS Are You a Good Catholic or a Bad Catholic Early in the film, Geppetto and his son are seen praying over their meals and attending Mass. Geppetto even carves a large and beautifully intricate Crucifix for his local church. However… ***SPOILER ALERT*** Geppetto’s son is killed in a church ***END SPOILER*** while other “spirits” and supernatural beings play an integral role in Pinocchio’s life. The latter has been the case since the original 1800s story, but the fact that Christ was made so important yet seemingly impotent later on could be taken as a slight. However, it’s never explicitly said that this is the case, nor does Geppetto ever forsake Christ. Since it is so open up to interpretation, I didn’t remove any points. The Catholic priest is portrayed as a Mussolini supporter who gives the Nazi salute. Even though others are shown to give the salute out of fear, and it isn’t expressly stated that the priest isn’t doing so as well, his character is largely unneeded. This, and del Toro’s past comments on religion, leads me to believe that this was a deliberate slight. I didn’t ding the score hard due to the fact that the priest is only briefly in the movie.