A supremely fanciful but nigh-adult dark take on the classic Pinocchio story. It’s honestly kind of creepy and very much in the vein of a Del Toro or Grimm Fairy tale. Stomps all over the line separating being for children and exclusively for adults, with a European “suck it up, its a cruel world” ambience. Despite being a tremendously bleak venture at times, it still beats with a well-intentioned heart and the grace of benevolent blue fairy.
Whether to watch with your kids or not, the sheer skilled beauty of what is on display cannot be debated nor doubted. Absolutely amazing art direction, glorious costumes and truly next level makeup. Prodigious and a welcome throwback to tangibility and skilled proficiency, the makeup craftsmanship on display is otherworldly; literally and figuratively. Where most might opt for a CGI intensive spectacle, the designs and execution put it a head above its ethereal competitors. There is just a palpability and authenticity made manifest with the material interaction. The performance of these artists was astounding.
Beyond the craft mastery, the film itself does tend to be a bit wooden. The strings holding this puppet tale together tend to be frayed, as the plot hops from one peril to the next, never a natural blood flowing vitality. As a whole, it does end up coming to life, and provides for a tremendous visual spectacle and a unique vision on the classic saga.