A Fitting Reimagining For Families Today ( Disney's Pinocchio 2022)

It is basically a Disney mandate to remake their animated classics these days, whether Disney is at the helm or not. Other studios attempt to create much darker storylines in order to appeal to adult audiences. At the same time, Disney usually sticks with their family-friendly yet magical formulas that appeal or disappoint. It is usually a hit-or-miss game with Disney's attempts to reimagine their animated classics if you had the interest in watching any of them in the last decade. This is why it is surprising that Pinocchio strays far away from being a forgettable Disney classic even with this reimagining. 

I think I am finally allowed to say that I was never fond of the original animated film due to only watching it once. For some reason, it never was appealing despite knowing the story by heart. That is where I struggled a bit. This is what troubled me when it came to differentiating what part of the storyline was kept the same or changed. Luckily, it all came back to me and Pinocchio was indeed adapted poignantly to please viewers who fell in love with the character and the story in the first place. 

Many may not agree but the changes are what made this movie soar. This was done to possibly attract the current generation but I didn't think it would work for me. Robert Zemeckis' direction and the script he wrote alongside Chris Weitz have made Pinocchio accessible and enjoyable to a wider audience. A tweak here and there and an ending that only could only be the work of inspiration from the minds who flipped Maleficent's change of heart made this reimagination one to remember.  

With talents like Tom Hanks, Cynthia Erivo, and Joseph Gordon Levitt, this film was star-studded which paid off. However, it was the short cameos that made this movie even more fun with Keegan Michael-Key as the notorious Honest John and Luke Evans as the Coachman to Pleasure Island. But the real performance pleaser here was Pinocchio himself. With Benjamin Evan Ainsworth voicing the titular character memorably, the real work was really done by the CGI animators who really brought the wooden boy to life. 

What can be taken away from this live-action remake of the beloved fairy tale is the restructured lesson to Pinocchio's arc. In the original, he gets his wish, becoming a real boy because he was brave, truthful, and selfless. SPOILER ALERT! In this film, the writer uses the lessons Pinocchio has learned to realize he does not need to be a real boy to be special, he just needed to be himself all along to make his Gepetto happy. A fitting theme for families family today. 

Like I said earlier, this new Pinocchio is not for everyone which is expected. It is disappointing that the film isn't available on the big screen but it should be witnessed at least once for it might be your child's favorite movie if you let them give it a try and that is if you are willing to hone on the new and old hemes presented here. 

Catch Pinocchio on Disney Plus Hotstar today and let me know what you think of this reimagining. I am genuinely curious about your thoughts.