Pinocchio (2022)

Movie · 2022 · Fantasy, Adventure, Family · 1h 45m · PG · English

Curator score: 0.2/10 (149.5K ratings)

The beloved classic comes to life.

Overview

A wooden puppet embarks on a thrilling adventure to become a real boy.

Ratings

Director

Robert Zemeckis

Production

Walt Disney Pictures, Depth of Field, ImageMovers

Cast

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hanks, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Angus Wright, Cynthia Erivo, Sheila Atim, Lorraine Bracco, Keegan-Michael Key, Jamie Demetriou, Giuseppe Battiston, Kyanne Lamaya, Jaquita Ta'le, Lewin Lloyd, Luke Evans, Adelaide Barham, Poppy Blackwood, Katie Boothroyd, Lucy Boothroyd, Louisa Boyd Leslie, Tyne Burgess

Where to watch

Disney Plus

Curator Review

Verdict

A glossy but hollow remake that leans on CGI spectacle and nostalgia without finding much emotional life or visual wonder. The result feels overfamiliar, tonally muddled, and more exhausting than enchanting.

Best for

  • Viewers curious about Disney’s live-action remake era
  • Completionists tracking major family-fantasy adaptations
  • Fans interested in seeing a familiar story reworked with modern effects

Skip if

  • You want a heartfelt or imaginative adaptation
  • You’re tired of corporate nostalgia projects
  • You prefer practical charm or strong visual storytelling in family fantasy

Overview

This version of Pinocchio is less a reinvention than a reminder of how hard it is to justify a remake when the original already has so much personality. The film’s digital environments and creatures often feel weightless, and the emotional beats land with a thud instead of a tug. Even with a major star at the center, the movie struggles to create warmth or momentum.

Worth noting

What should be a lively adventure becomes a checklist of familiar scenes and flattened jokes. The tone keeps wobbling between sincere family entertainment and self-conscious IP management, which makes the whole thing feel oddly mechanical. It’s the kind of movie that can be watched, but rarely enjoyed.

Bottom line

For younger viewers who just want a straightforward fairy tale, there’s enough plot to follow. For most others, the better response is to revisit the classic animated version or seek out a more distinctive take on the material. This one is mostly notable as a cautionary example of remake fatigue.

Top Letterboxd reviews

Windsie (1.5★) · 6926 likes

The second film of the year where Tom Hanks plays a European caricature alongside an exploited puppet

russkiydeutsch (1★) · 4328 likes

How many times are we going to have to see this little wooden bastard on screen

Alex IHE (0.5★) · 3811 likes

it was cool when the clock had woody and breaking bad and iron man and avengers referenced (4th wall breaks too *deadpool moment*)

James (Schaffrillas) (1.5★) · 3617 likes

I checked how much time was left in the movie at least once per minute

Framesofnick (1★) · 2076 likes

Snap his fucking neck

Recommended similar titles

The Little Mermaid

1989 · Animation, Family, Fantasy · 1h 23m · G · Curator 7.3/10 (1M ratings) · Where to watch: Disney Plus

A classic animated fairy tale with stronger songs, charm, and emotional clarity.

The Princess Bride

1987 · Adventure, Family, Fantasy · 1h 39m · PG · Curator 8.7/10 (1.5M ratings) · Where to watch: Disney Plus, Hulu, fuboTV

Shares the playful fairy-tale spirit but with sharper wit, warmth, and enduring rewatch value.

Labyrinth

1986 · Adventure, Family, Fantasy · 1h 41m · PG · Curator 6.1/10 (643.5K ratings) · Where to watch: Netflix, Hulu, fuboTV, Peacock Premium, Night Flight Plus, Netflix Standard with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus

A visually distinctive fantasy quest that values imagination and atmosphere over brand familiarity.

The NeverEnding Story

1984 · Adventure, Fantasy, Family · 1h 41m · PG · Curator 3.0/10 (173.1K ratings)

A sincere, emotionally resonant children’s fantasy about belief, loss, and becoming who you are.

Willow

1988 · Fantasy, Adventure, Action · 2h 6m · PG · Curator 3.4/10 (237K ratings) · Where to watch: Disney Plus

An old-school adventure fantasy with practical charm and a more committed sense of wonder.

Hook

1991 · Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy · 2h 22m · PG · Curator 3.3/10 (656K ratings)

A big studio fairy-tale adventure that, while uneven, has more personality and playfulness.

A.I. Artificial Intelligence

2001 · Drama, Science Fiction, Adventure · 2h 26m · PG-13 · Curator 5.5/10 (633.6K ratings) · Where to watch: Hulu, TCM

Another Zemeckis-adjacent tale of artificial life and longing, but far more haunting and thoughtful.

Big Fish

2003 · Adventure, Fantasy, Drama · 2h 5m · PG-13 · Curator 6.9/10 (1M ratings)

A sentimental fantasy about storytelling, fathers, and belief that lands with much more heart.

The Iron Giant

1999 · Animation, Drama, Family · 1h 26m · PG · Curator 9.4/10 (886K ratings)

A moving coming-of-age story about identity and humanity with genuine emotional payoff.

Paddington

2014 · Comedy, Adventure, Family · 1h 35m · PG · Curator 8.4/10 (158.8K ratings) · Where to watch: Peacock Premium, Angel Studios, Peacock Premium Plus

A modern family film that understands how to balance whimsy, sincerity, and visual invention.

Enchanted

2007 · Comedy, Family, Fantasy · 1h 47m · PG · Curator 6.0/10 (832K ratings) · Where to watch: Disney Plus

A self-aware fairy-tale movie that actually earns its irony by loving the genre it riffs on.

Stardust

2007 · Adventure, Fantasy, Romance · 2h 7m · PG-13 · Curator 5.8/10 (546.1K ratings)

A romantic fantasy adventure that leans into magic, humor, and swashbuckling energy.

Topics

family fantasy, live-action remake, CGI spectacle, coming-of-age, nostalgic adaptation, whimsical adventure, dark comedy, studio franchise, fairy tale

Open Pinocchio (2022) on Curator TV