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In an incredible feat of time mismanagement, this “Pinocchio” is about 20 minutes longer than the 1940 version and still manages to blatantly sidestep having a poignant and magical ending. Outside of the film’s unflatteringly artificial look, the writing (credited to Zemeckis, Chris Weitz and Simon Farnaby) overflows with anachronistic jokes and some adult references that mostly serve as cringey attempts at modernizing the story. That differs from the unconvincing digital form that organic creatures like Jiminy, Honest John, a bipedal fox or Geppetto’s cat Figaro assume through 21st century technology. Pinocchio’s transmutation from the 2-D animated design into one with volume makes for an almost identical copy because he remains an inanimate object that can keep his cartoonish features. None of the zombified “live action” redos of Disney animated movies has improved on the originals, but it seems that when intended solely for its streaming service, as is the case here, the quality alarmingly diminishes. The subpar digital visuals include overblown lighting in the day scenes and poorly rendered integration between the characters and the environments, especially noticeable near the end of the film during set pieces that take place in water. The entirety of Zemeckis’ “Pinocchio” appears to have been shot against a green screen.

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She deputizes Jiminy as the newly born figure’s voice of reason.īut for a movie about being real, one would be hard-pressed to pinpoint any physical elements on screen. Authentic boyhood is within reach, she explains, if he proves himself valiant and honest.

Named after his pinewood composition, Pinocchio (voiced by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) becomes sentient when the Blue Fairy (the vocally gifted Cynthia Erivo) responds to Geppetto’s heartfelt calling. The Italian tale of the wooden boy who wished to become a flesh-and-bone child begins with minuscule Jiminy Cricket (voiced by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) finding refuge from the cold at the home/workshop of Geppetto (Tom Hanks), a gifted woodcarver who has completed a wide-eyed and vibrant puppet crafted in the image of his deceased son. But with Robert Zemeckis’ new hybrid incarnation - which combines live-action elements and 3-D CG animation - the Oscar-winning director has carved a lackluster replica. Produced by Walt Disney himself, the 1940 interpretation of “Pinocchio” is often regarded as one of the most accomplished and innovative animated features ever conceived.

But regardless of where it began, the cheapening of the wonder Disney films once evoked reached its nadir with the notorious, pseudo live-action remakes of the studio’s cartoon classics. It may have started when they shunned hand-drawn animation from their feature productions, or perhaps when churning out superhero sequels became their mainstay.

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