Netflix and Disney released their own versions of Pinocchio on Disney+ and Guillermo del Toro directed the Oscar-nominated Pinocchio on Netflix, and both sport a star-studded cast, so how do their review scores compare on Rotten Tomatoes?
The story of Pinocchio is based on an 1883 children's book, The Adventures of Pinocchio, written by Italian author Carlo Lorenzini. While the story has seen numerous adaptations through the years, it's likely most famous because of the 1940 Disney animated film. The two versions of Pinocchio released in 2022 include Zemeckis' live-action recreation of the original Disney animation, while Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio is a stop-motion re-imagining that puts the puppet in the world of 1930s Italy during the rise of fascism. The Rotten Tomatoes scores for the two movies are about as different as their respective approach to the material.
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio Beats Disney Live-Action Version In Every Way According To Rotten Tomatoes
With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 97 percent, Guillermo del Toro's Netflix version of Pinnochio sures the 28 percent score of Robert Zemeckis' Disney+ Pinocchio by 69 points. According to Rotten Tomatoes' specially selected "Top Critics," the difference is even greater with the Netflix version earning a 94 percent score and the Disney+ version falling 79 points below that with a 15 percent score.
When it comes to the Rotten Tomatoes audience score, the disparity is just as big. Audiences gave the Guillermo del Toro/Netflix version of Pinnochio a 91 percent score so far, while the Zemeckis/Disney Pinocchio just 28 percent, 63 points lower. The del Toro version has over 2,500 audience-submitted reviews on Rotten Tomatoes so far, so it's highly doubtful it'll fall remotely close to the Rotten Tomatoes score of the Disney+ version.
Why The Netflix Version of Pinocchio's Rotten Tomatoes Score is So Much Better Than Disney's
Rotten Tomatoes scores are simply a reflection of the percentage of a movie's reviews that are classified as positive, so obviously, most of the reviews for Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio were counted as Fresh and most of the Disney+ Pinocchio's reviews were counted as Rotten. Del Toro and Zemeckis are both very accomplished filmmakers and both movies were made by a talented cast and crew, so the disparity could ultimately boil down to approach. Disney's live-action remakes of animated classics have been routinely criticized for sticking too close to the animated version, and this is especially true of Pinocchio. Meanwhile, del Toro's approach is a significant shift even from the original source material, giving audiences a fresh take on a familiar tale, and adding layers of political and emotional content to the story.
At the end of the day, all reviews are subjective. Both movies had fresh reviews and both films had rotten reviews, so the ultimate Tomatometer score shouldn't be taken as an absolute indication of how everyone will feel about each movie. Having said that, the extreme disparity between the two scores is a strong validation of del Toro's approach for the Netflix version of Pinocchio, and it'll be interesting to see if Disney continues with this same live-action adaption strategy for other live-action remakes of the Disney animated films going forward.
The Oscar Nomination For Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio Cemented Its Status
It’s not just the average movie-goer who sees a big difference between the two approaches to Pinocchio though. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is nominated for the 2023 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, while the Disney adaptation didn’t earn a nomination in any category. of the Academy found more value in del Toro’s approach, possibly because of his genuine love for the medium, which he extolled on stage at the 2023 Golden Globe ceremony.
While there are a lot of big figures in the industry who have dismissed animation as solely for children, or something that is not as meaningful as live action, del Toro’s ionate defense of animation at the Golden Globes struck a chord with many it seems. The film's Rotten Tomatoes score, the audience reactions, and the Oscar nomination for del Toro’s Pinocchio show just how receptive film fans of all ages are to animation.
