Pinocchio movie review

• “Pinocchio” hovers in an existential wasteland, much like its central puppet.
• Snarky one-liners coexist alongside well-worn phrases.
• It’s not simply a piece of wood, but it’s also not a genuine boy.

“Pinocchio” hovers in an existential wasteland, much like its central puppet. The most recent live-action adaptation of a popular Disney animated classic walks a difficult line between staying true to its artistic roots and trying to be new for contemporary audiences.

Snarky one-liners coexist alongside well-worn phrases. It’s not simply a piece of wood, but it’s also not a genuine boy. The high-tech remake by Robert Zemeckis stays true to the Italian children’s book source material and the 1940 original movie, but it also includes brand-new songs and witty pop-culture allusions. (Most of them clang and feel forced, but one, I’ll admit, makes me laugh aloud.)

In addition to “When You Wish Upon a Star,” in which vocal powerhouse Cynthia Erivo now performs as the Blue Fairy, the album also includes brief meta-comments on parenthood, education, and the dangers of fame. The end effect is a jumbled blend that, while occasionally exuberant and humorous, is seldom singular or exceptional.

But given that he co-wrote “About a Boy” with Chris Weitz and directed the film, it makes perfect sense that Zemeckis would want to take on this significant undertaking. From the stunning hybrid of “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?,” to the original “Pinocchio,” which was revolutionary in its aesthetic intricacy, Zemeckis has continuously advanced the boundaries of animation and visual effects. In “The Polar Express,” he used motion capture in a groundbreaking way.

(Fortunately, since 2004, technology has advanced to prevent human characters from appearing so horrifyingly rubbery.)

Although many of the details have a tactile authenticity, this new “Pinocchio” essentially seems fully animated. This is particularly true near the climax of the adventure when the cheery puppet finds himself in the gaping maw of a terrifying sea monster.

However, we’re getting ahead of ourselves, so we obviously need Jiminy Cricket’s cheery narration (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who starred in Zemeckis’ “The Walk”) to keep us on course.

You already know the story—a it’s warning about continuing your education and avoiding becoming a delinquent or, worse, an actor—but let’s go over it again.

As the affable woodcarver Gepetto, who also happens to manufacture cuckoo clocks with numerous Disney characters like Dumbo and Maleficent, in an eye-rolling detail, Tom Hanks is at his most amiable. Hanks is reuniting with the director of “Forrest Gump” and “Cast Away” in this cozy cardigan of a role, and between this “Elvis,” he appears to be relishing exploring his purposefully hammy side. It is a silly, amusing performance. It’s okay.

After finishing up his marionette, which he names Pinocchio, lonely Gepetto makes a wish on a star one night, which brings the puppet to life. Erivo is such a majestic sight to behold, you’ll wish there were more of her here—but nope, it’s onto the next thing.

The Blue Fairy whooshes into the workshop and, with a sprinkle of magic dust, tells Pinocchio (voiced by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) he can become a real boy if he proves himself “brave, truthful, and unselfish.” Jiminy Cricket is tasked with serving as his conscience to support him in this endeavor.

But do not worry. If this rendition of “Pinocchio” doesn’t appeal to you, Guillermo del Toro has a stop-motion animation adaptation of the timeless story that will be released in December. We wouldn’t make up information of that nature.

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