Netflix released the latest adaptation of Pinocchio, a stop-animation fantasy film by Academy award-winning director Guillermo del Toro.

Unlike the previous fairytale-esque depictions of this iconic bedtime story originally written by Carlo Collodi (in 1983), Guillermo Del Toro took the happy-go-lucky ambiance of the traditional plot and ventured into the depths of his dark imagination. Guillermo Del Toro beautifully crafted this movie by incorporating murder, grief psychology, war, dark magic, poverty, Catholicism, and anti-fascism with the joys of fatherhood, unlikely friendships, good music, and love. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is comparable to some of the legendary work by filmmaker Tim Burton.

One of the most talked about aspects of the film is Pinocchio’s gloomy spiritual guide Blue Fairy (voiced by Tilda Swinton). Guillermo del Toro is said to have drawn inspiration for the character from Mexican folklore, a trademark tactic the director has used in previous dark-fantasy projects such as Pans Labyrinth. It carried a political undertone based on the infrastructure of America during the Bush Administration in the 2000s. Guillermo del Toro created a timeless tale in 2022 while giving a fictional version of Mussolini a heavy presence. This would be like a Hollywood director creating a film with the details of the American Civil War as a backdrop. Nevertheless, it worked beautifully to the tune of a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The anti-fascist film by Guillermo del Toro has been praised by Hollywood heavyweights such as Steven King, who called the film “pure magic” on Twitter. 

Guillermo del Toro’s reimagining of Pinocchio is set in Italy during World War II, when Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini each led powerful fascist regimes in Europe. The infamous “Fascist Salute” can be seen on full display throughout the film as several characters raise their right arm and extended their fingers out with the hand facing down but Guillermo Del Toro brings balance to the imagery by using his main character to mock Mussolini. On the flip side, there are also components of Catholicism, such as when Pinocchio (voiced by Gregory Mann) has an outburst in his father’s church and is forced out by the parish priest.