Pinocchio Unstrung review praises puppet craft over story
Variety says Rhys Frake-Waterfield’s R-rated killer puppet film has grisly craft but thin storytelling and weak scares.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
3 min read
In a new Pinocchio Unstrung review, Variety critic Guy Lodge says Rhys Frake-Waterfield’s latest horror spin works best as a showcase for practical puppet mayhem, even as its script and scares come up short.
The film marks another trip into warped children’s-literature territory for Frake-Waterfield, the British indie filmmaker behind 2023’s “Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey.” Lodge writes that the director again shows thrift-store resourcefulness and flashes of wit, while the larger idea of his so-called Twisted Childhood Universe feels familiar rather than daring.
“Pinocchio: Unstrung” was reviewed by Variety after a July 24 screening at Lumiere Romford in London. The film is rated R and runs 82 minutes, according to the review details.
Is Pinocchio: Unstrung any good?
Variety’s verdict is mixed: Lodge credits the movie’s puppetry, animatronics and practical gore, but says the storytelling is underfed and the frights do not land with much force. The review describes the film as more gross and bloody than genuinely scary.
The critic singles out the design of Pinocchio as one of the film’s strongest assets. Instead of a polished cartoon boy, this version is rough, splintered and handmade, with Lodge calling the character’s physical creation a win for the puppetry and animatronic teams.
The review also notes that behind-the-scenes footage of that craft appears during the end credits. Lodge says the film relies heavily on tactile effects, including gore work that fits the cheap slasher tradition.
What is Pinocchio: Unstrung about?
According to Variety, the story recasts Geppetto as a wealthy British inventor with a mad-scientist streak, played by “Game of Thrones” actor Richard Brake. In this contemporary version, Geppetto creates Pinocchio as an attempt at artificial life.
The plot also follows Geppetto’s grandson James, played by Cameron Bell, who is orphaned after a car crash. Geppetto keeps James and Pinocchio apart inside a Gothic mansion until the puppet’s curiosity pushes him into James’ world.
James eventually brings Pinocchio to school in a backpack, against Geppetto’s orders, Variety reports. After Pinocchio sees James being bullied, the puppet’s revenge impulse takes over, setting up a run of bloody set pieces.
Lodge says the movie also has Pinocchio collecting human organs because he believes they will help him become human. The critic points to a school-gym sequence involving a treadmill and falling weights as the film’s most inventive kill, though he says its setup is weak.
Who is in the cast and crew?
Frake-Waterfield directed and wrote the screenplay for “Pinocchio: Unstrung.” The listed cast includes Richard Brake, Cameron Bell, Jessica Balmer, Robert Englund, Jack Art Gray, Belinda Fenty, Toni Olabanji and Elliott Spilling.
Variety notes that Englund appears as a cursed, unnamed take on Jiminy Cricket. The review says the film could have used sharper jokes and more high-camp energy from the performances, while also faulting a murky sound mix.
The production is listed as a U.K.-U.S. release from Viva Pictures in the U.S. and Altitude Film Entertainment in the U.K., from an ITN Studios presentation of a Jagged Edge Productions film. Frake-Waterfield and Scott Chambers are credited as producers.
Lodge’s bottom line is that “Pinocchio: Unstrung” shows more visual spark than “Blood and Honey,” even if the writing remains rough. For this killer puppet, the strings are apparently stronger than the story.
This story draws on original reporting from Variety.