Pinocchio 2022

In the tumultuous midst of World War I, Italian carpenter Geppetto (David Bradley) was struck by tragedy when his young son Carlo (Gregory Mann), only ten years old, fell victim to an unintentional aerial bombardment by Austrian forces. The errant bombs had been dropped to lighten their load, and Geppetto’s town had been caught in the crossfire. As he mourned the loss of his cherished companion, the duo’s collaborative work on a crucifix for the local church served as a poignant reminder of happier times. With every passing year, Geppetto’s grief only deepened, and he found solace in planting the pinecone Carlo had chosen before his untimely demise near his grave.

Twenty years later, an unexpected visitor took up residence within the very same tree: Sebastian J. Cricket (Ewan McGregor), a charismatic anthropomorphic cricket with a penchant for grandeur. Geppetto, still reeling from his loss, inadvertently cut down the tree in a fit of drunken despair, only to discover a hidden talent for woodworking. In a moment of creative fervor, he set about crafting a new son from the tree’s wood, but his inebriated state left the puppet unfinished. It was then that a mystical blue Wood Sprite (Tilda Swinton) appeared, imbuing the wooden figure with life and christening him Pinocchio.

As Pinocchio began to explore his newfound sentience, he formed an unlikely alliance with Sebastian, who vowed to use his guidance to achieve fame in exchange for granting Pinocchio’s deepest desires. Meanwhile, Geppetto was oblivious to the chaos unfolding within his cabin as Pinocchio discovered the wonders of the world and wreaked havoc upon his surroundings.

As Geppetto stumbled upon Pinocchio’s existence, he initially reacted with dismay, locking the wayward puppet in a closet before leaving for church. However, Pinocchio proved too curious to remain confined, following Geppetto into town where he frightened the villagers with his antics. The Podesta and priest (Burn Gorman) soon arrived at Geppetto’s doorstep, concerned that Pinocchio might pose a threat to the community.

To their surprise, they found the puppet harmless but undisciplined. With orders from the Podesta, Geppetto was instructed to enroll Pinocchio in school, only for the mischievous youth to be intercepted by the enigmatic Count Volpe (Christoph Waltz) and his performing monkey, Spazzatura (Cate Blanchett). The aristocrat-turned-showman saw Pinocchio as a golden opportunity to revive his struggling circus and reclaim his former glory.

As Count Volpe wields his cunning charm, he persuades the naive Pinocchio to join his traveling spectacle, securing a binding contract that would forever alter their fates. Meanwhile, Geppetto frantically searches for his wayward son, only to be guided by Sebastian to the very same circus where Pinocchio has been exploited. The patriarch’s desperation ultimately leads to a tense confrontation with Volpe, culminating in a tug-of-war that sends Pinocchio tumbling onto the road, where he meets an untimely demise at the hands of an oncoming vehicle.

In the afterlife, Pinocchio encounters the enigmatic Black Rabbits, who serve as his guides. As he navigates this realm, he is confronted by Death herself - a chimera-like figure with the visage of a human, the horns of a cape buffalo, the lower horns of a Jacob sheep, the body of a lion, the wings of a bird adorned with eyes, and a snake-headed tail. This spectral being, the sister of the Wood Sprite, reveals to Pinocchio that he is cursed with immortality, doomed to return to the mortal realm once every hourglass empties. She warns him that each subsequent sojourn will only serve to prolong his stay in the afterlife.

Upon his return to the mortal world, Pinocchio makes the fateful decision to join Volpe’s circus, driven by a desire to earn a living for Geppetto and avoid conscription into the Royal Italian Army at the hands of the imperious Podesta. Unbeknownst to Pinocchio, this choice would ultimately prove to be his downfall.

As Geppetto discovers his son’s involvement with the circus, he is left reeling from the realization that Volpe has absconded with the troupe, leaving him with nothing but unpaid debts and a mounting sense of despair. Meanwhile, Sebastian and Geppetto set out to sea in search of Pinocchio, only to be swallowed by a gargantuan sea monster.

In the midst of this chaos, Pinocchio learns that Volpe has been exploiting him mercilessly, using his naivety for performances without ever sending a penny back to his father. The once-innocent puppet’s world is turned upside down as he becomes aware of Volpe’s true intentions - including a performance scheduled for none other than Benito Mussolini himself.

In a defiant act of rebellion, Pinocchio takes the stage and sings a scathing parody of a patriotic tune, aimed squarely at the dictator’s pompous persona. This brazen affront to authority is met with swift retribution, as Pinocchio meets his maker in a tragic and untimely execution.

As Pinocchio’s consciousness awakens, he finds himself whisked away by the Podesta to a formidable training ground where a coterie of small boys are being moulded into battle-hardened warriors. Amidst this austere backdrop, Pinocchio forges an unlikely bond with Candlewick (Finn Wolfhard), the Podesta’s son, who is crippled by the fear of disappointing his father and being perceived as weak. With Pinocchio’s counsel, Candlewick finds the courage to stand up against his father, but their training camp is suddenly and devastatingly razed by enemy aircraft, resulting in the Podesta’s tragic demise. The cataclysmic blast sends Pinocchio soaring through the air.

As he manages to extricate himself from the ruins, Pinocchio falls prey to Volpe, who seeks vengeance for his own circus being reduced to ashes by Mussolini as retribution for Pinocchio’s previous slight. However, their tumultuous escapade is interrupted by Spazzatura, and they find themselves hurtling over a precipice, with Volpe meeting his untimely demise in the depths below. Pinocchio then rescues Spazzatura, only to be swallowed whole by a gargantuan sea monster, where he reunites with Geppetto and Sebastian within its digestive system.

In an effort to prolong their stay, Pinocchio fabricates a fabrication, allowing his nose to grow into a makeshift bridge, enabling their escape from the monster’s blowhole. Just as they think they’ve outsmarted fate, the behemoth attempts to consume them once more, prompting Pinocchio to make the ultimate sacrifice by detonating a naval mine that the monster is in the process of ingesting. Upon facing Death once more, Pinocchio demands to be returned to mortal life so that he may rescue Geppetto from drowning, who had been rendered unconscious by the blast. This selfless act ultimately proves fatal for Pinocchio, prompting Sebastian to utilize his wish to bring Pinocchio back to life, which the benevolent Wood Sprite grants.

With their reunion a reality, Pinocchio and the others return home to forge a new family dynamic. However, as time passes, Pinocchio outlives all of his loved ones, leaving him to contemplate the vast expanse of an uncertain future. Ultimately, he decides to embark on a journey into the unknown, seeking fresh adventures and experiences.

As the credits roll, Sebastian croons for the Black Rabbits in the afterlife.