Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio called a 'masterpiece' and gets 100% review rating — days after death of his mother

Virgin Radio

18 Oct 2022, 10:27

A grieving Guillermo del Toro’s new mind-blowing Pinocchio animation has been called a ‘masterpiece’ and has scored 100 per cent on movie-rating site, Rotten Tomatoes. The Mexican filmmaker has been showered with praise just days after losing his beloved mother.

The heartfelt movie, set in the 1930s during the rise of fascism in Benito Mussolini's Italy, is already creating an Oscar-winning buzz. Following the BFI premiere, del Toro thanked fans: "Yesterday feels like a dream. Thank you @RealGDT and @BFI for an unforgettable world premiere of #PinocchioMovie."

The emotional filmmaker honoured his late mother who he lost the day before the film’s world premiere and shared: “I just want to say, my mother just passed away, and this was very special for her and me. This is not only the first time you’ll see the movie, it’s the first time she’ll see the movie with us. Thank you.”

Del Toro spoke about his connection with the classic story: “I saw the film as a kid and it’s a film that bonded me with my mum for an entire life. It affected me because Pinocchio saw the world the way I saw it.

"I was a little bit enraged that people demand obedience from Pinocchio so I wanted to make a film about disobedience as a virtue, and to say that you shouldn’t change to be loved. Everybody who is here believes that animation is not a genre. That animation is art. Animation is film.”

Movie critics praised: "Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio is a superb retelling of a classic that finally reaches the heights of the original tale. It is a beautiful, layered, and melancholy film about life and loss, told through the eyes of a child who will never age. I loved it."

Another commented on Twitter: "Del Toro’s is a soulful stop-motion masterpiece. But it’s partly because, as the title suggests, the latest version is so unmistakably a Del Toro passion project.”

One audience member noted: "Guillermo del Toro gave a touching speech about how #Pinocchio holds a special place in his heart because it was something he and his mother loved. The film is in her memory as she sadly passed away recently. You can feel the love and heart he poured into the story."

Another fan wrote online: “If you see only one Pinocchio movie this year - make it Guillermo del Toro’s.”

“Guillermo del Toro’s PINOCCHIO just played the London Film Festival, and it’s a masterpiece," raved one viewer.

“To differentiate from the others I hereby proclaim we refer to this film as Pinocchio del Toro," urged a fan.

Newcomer Gregory Mann voices the titular character while the all-star cast includes Cate Blanchett, Christoph Waltz, Ted Sarandos, Ewan McGregor, Tilda Swinton and John Turturro.

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio hits Netflix worldwide on 9 December.