Will The New Pinocchio Top The Original As The 'Best Disney Movie'?
It seems that Disney keeps pumping out live-action remakes that are dividing fans, with some wishing Disney would leave the original animations as they are, whilst other fans enjoy a modern take on Disney classics.But despite what the fans think, Disney still remakes its animated classics for two reasons: firstly, it's less of a risk putting something out into the world that people already have a deep connection with, as opposed to creating an original that could be a flop.Secondly, despite some of their remakes being dubbed as bad movies by critics, commercially Disney live-action remakes do really well.
Disney will continue to make more movies, their latest being Pinocchio, which was expected to be successful on Disney's streaming service, but even if viewing figures are high, that doesn't necessarily mean that Robert Zemeckis's Pinocchio is a great movie.
But even if it is a great live-action remake, here's why the standards it is expected to reach are almost impossible.
The Odds Were Always Against Pinocchio
Before its release on 8th September 2022, Pinocchio already had the odds stacked against it, with Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio also set for a release in late 2022.
But if the critics' reviews are anything to go by for Disney's live-action Pinnochio, Guillermo del Toro needn't worry, even if it does have to compete with the original animation.
Here lies the problem with Zemeckis's Pinocchio: it's also had to compete with Disney's animated version, but Pinocchio isn't like Disney's other animated classics.
Pinocchio (2022) Is Competing Against The 'Best Disney Movie'
Disney's live-action remakes are always held to a high standard, as expected when Disney decides to remake one of their classics, but this time things are different. The odds are stacked against Disney's Pinocchio (2022) tenfold as its predecessor is considered a masterpiece from an artistic point of view, and believed to be "the finest hand-drawn film ever."
The animated Pinocchio, which was released in 1940, has also made it to the 100% club on Rotten Tomatoes, and is hailed by critics as "the pinnacle of Disney's collected works."
In other words, the 1940s animated classic Pinocchio is the "crème de la crème" of all Disney movies. Considering this, was the decision to remake this artistic, well-loved masterpiece a terrible idea, or can this huge risk pay off?
What Do Critics Say About Pinocchio (2022)?
If the early reviews are anything to go by then no, fans shouldn't expect to be blown away when watching Zemeckis's Pinocchio, even if it does star the legend that is Tom Hanks, who plays the puppeteer Geppetto in the film.
Things are not looking great for the remake when it comes to critical consensus. But despite its 40% score on Rotten Tomatoes, its audience score on the day of release was at 71% meaning that Pinocchio could be heading down the same route as most of Disney's live-action remakes — critically a flop, but commercially a success.
According to film critic Courtney Howard, the live-action Pinocchio is terrible.
"An absolute low point for Disney’s CG remake roster," Howard tweeted. "Messy, dull & aesthetically unappealing, it’s one of the worst films of the year & acts as an uninspired affront to what the animators created with the 1940 original."
Josh Spiegel also shared his thoughts on the movie and was less than impressed.
"About two-thirds of this remake is dull and uninspired," Spiegel tweeted. "The rest of it made me angrier than any movie has since…well, the Lion King remake."
Is Pinocchio Worth Watching?
The live action Pinocchio is a delightful adaptation full of warmth and magic that instantly transports the viewer back to childhood and feels like a typical Zemeckis work; beautiful visuals (especially in the scenes at Pleasure Island) and a jolly atmosphere with a pinch of darkness in some of its scenes.
The attention to detail is striking, as fans will notice from the beginning that Gepetto's house is almost identical to the one in the original animated movie.
The casting for every character feels spot on, but some parts of the story and script feel a little too modernized and cheesy which can momentarily pull viewers out of an old-fashioned, fairytale setting, and in parts the pacing feels off-beat. Overall, it may not be hailed as Disney's best live-action remake, but this less-than-perfect movie is a delightful watch.
Whether Pinocchio becomes a flop or a huge hit, there are still several remade and modernized classics on the way, including The Little Mermaid and Hercules.
It seems unlikely, but maybe Hercules will be the surprise hit that makes the critics less harsh.
And wouldn't it be awesome if Disney would consider bringing Danny DeVito on to reprise his role as Philoctetes?
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