Pinocchio (2022) - SPOILER-FREE Review
/Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Written by: Robert Zemeckis, Chris Weitz
Starring: Tom Hanks, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Keegan-Michael Key, Lorraine Bracco, Cynthia Erivo, Luke Evans, Kyanne Lamaya, Giuseppe Battiston, Lewin Lloyd
Runtime: 111 min
Synopsis: A live-action, CGI retelling of the beloved tale of a wooden puppet who embarks on a thrilling adventure to become a real boy. Tom Hanks stars as Geppetto, the woodcarver who builds and treats Pinocchio (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) as if he were his real son. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is Jiminy Cricket, who serves as Pinocchio’s guide as well as his "conscience"; Cynthia Erivo is the Blue Fairy; Keegan-Michael Key is "Honest" John; Lorraine Bracco is Sofia the Seagull, a new character, and Luke Evans is The Coachman.
Editor's Note: Original review was written for Firstshowing. Full article can be found below.
REVIEW SUMMARY
Pinocchio boasts a more thematically impactful ending than the original but fails to deliver a new version of the famous childhood tale with the same magic and allure of the past. Tom Hanks and most of the voice cast embody the spirit of the 1940's flick perfectly, but the characters lack further development and imaginative modifications. The blend between animation and CGI components with real humans and sets is awkwardly inconsistent, leaving the viewers with a weird sensation throughout the whole runtime. The cast's musical prowess and memorable songs help with the entertainment aspect, but overall, it's a somewhat disappointing new take.