Review | Disney's Pinocchio (2022)

“Tom Hanks and Robert Zemeckis team up again for this pleasant live-action adaptation of Pinocchio. It is a delight for the whole family.”

Pinocchio is the latest Disney classic to make the jump into live-action. For this daring task, Robert Zemeckis has stepped in as writer and director, bringing with him Tom Hanks to play Geppetto. This is now the fourth time these two work together. And when they do it is always a token of quality. So, is this latest live-action adaptation worth it?

STORY

Tom Hanks as Geppetto in PINOCCHIO, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

For me, a good adaptation is the one that won’t copy and paste its source material. It is an adaptation that will capture the essence of what it is based on while having its own identity. Pinocchio does exactly that. It keeps the main story beats while also doing things differently. So, it is the Pinocchio story fans know with new surprises. I think this is a nice way for the new generation to discover this classic story. And for our generation, we can rediscover it. Zemeckis does what he did with The Polar Express, he makes sure his movie can be enjoyed by the whole family. It is a pleasant movie.

CAST

(L-R): Pinocchio (voiced by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth), Tom Hanks as Geppetto, and Figaro in Disney’s live-action PINOCCHIO, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Furthermore, Tom Hanks as Geppetto just feels right. If there was one role perfect for him in a live-action Disney adaptation, it was this one. He beautifully brings to the screen this loving father. Tom Hanks is one of my favorite actors and having him in a live-action Disney movie warms my heart. Although, Cynthia Erivo only has a minor role, she is also delightful as the Blue Fairy. Luke Evans is once again back in the Disney world to play The Coachman. I love how mischievious he is in these roles.

SCORE

(L-R): Cynthia Erivo as the Blue Fairy, Pinocchio (voiced by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth), and Jiminy Cricket (voiced by Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Disney’s live-action PINOCCHIO, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Alan Silvestri has composed the score. And as usual with him, it is good and as melodious as you would expect from a Disney movie. This adaptation like the original feature several songs, new and old. It brought back memories to hear a new version of the old songs. Cynthia Erivo wonderfully performs ‘When You Wish Upon A Star.’ The new songs fit well with the atmosphere of the movie and the original ones. And they surely are the highlights of this soundtrack. I think we can all agree we need to hear Luke Evans sing more often! Plus, Tom Hanks humming/singing two songs is absolutely sweet.

VISUALS

Pinocchio (voiced by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) in Disney’s live-action PINOCCHIO, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

While Pinocchio shines for the most part, the visuals are not always as great as they could be. This movie heavily relies on CG which makes sense considering Pinocchio is a living puppet. Not to mention, it does feature several animals doing things that real animals couldn’t. Honest John and Gideon The Cat are incredibly well animated … they feel so real! It is quite impressive. Pinocchio himself is a beautiful CG work and the same goes for Jiminy Cricket. Generally, any CG animals are well done. However, as soon as humans are in contact with these characters, it feels off. You can clearly tell the difference between what’s real and what’s CG. Knowing how good CG can be these days, it is disappointing to see that this movie isn’t always on that level.