‘Disney’s Pinocchio 2022’ Review

Disney’s Pinocchio remake is a mixed bag to say the least. Does this film have anything new to say for this industry? Clearly not, it’s a remake after all. Considering the previous points, I will not be diving into any plot points at all. Pinocchio this time round is a photorealistic flick which strongly sticks to the original whilst adding a couple of modernising jokes here or there alongside never seen characters, both additions seem to fall flat for the most part. All

The graphic design of Pinocchio and all the CGI characters is a near realism approach with a touch of ‘clearly computer generated’ which saves it from venturing into the ever-disturbing uncanny valley. Despite his lack of being uncanny however, the little wooden boy comes across soulless, and the ‘painted on’ effect that has been chosen for his eyes distracted me the entire film.  

In comparison to its predecessor, this remake of Disney’s classic is less confronting with its horror aspects. In the hand drawn feature everything is somehow more affecting. The cartoon has always given me the creeps, you know the scene, the one where the children begin to turn into donkeys.  The remake did not have the same effect which is both a positive and a negative. Positive, it didn’t spook the hell out of me. Negative, it just didn’t create the same feeling of dread through its technique, acting or writing. Not surprising as Tom Hank’s Geppetto is certainly one of his weaker performances.  

All together Pinocchio is over all a harmless, wholesome and middling film with which you could kill a couple of hours, entertain children, and sort of revisit a moment in your childhood.