Pinocchio et Gepetto

While it doesn't hold a candle to the 1940 Disney film, which nearly 80 years later is one of their greatest triumphs and one of the best animated films of all time.

'The Adventures of Pinocchio', dating from 1996, had its flaws, but was decent and a nice alternative to the Disney film. This sequel, 'The New Adventures of Pinocchio' from 1999, is mediocre at best and even often quite weak.

It does have some good things. Gabriel Thomson is a likable and earnest Pinocchio and Udo Kier steals the film as an over-the-top, sometimes weird but incredibly fun Madame Flambeau. Rachel Portman is missed, her score was beautiful, more dynamic and poignant but the music in 'The New Adventures of Pinocchio' is serviceable enough. Warwick Davis does a decent job as Pepe.

However, Martin Landau's Geopetto is almost completely sidelined and Landau, who was superb in 'The Adventures of Pinocchio and has given great performance, phones it in here. And while Kier is fun as Madame Flambeau his Lorenzini (a villain that could have been much more interesting) is just not sinister enough.

What particularly hurts the film are the visuals and the story. 'The New Adventures of Pinocchio' looks rather cheap, the photography isn't as lavish, editing is sloppy and the sets and costumes do look like shoestring budget material, but it's the puppetry and special effects that are particularly subpar at best and often extremely poor and too obvious. Pepe is very mechanical in movement and design, the sea donkey is especially cheaply weak, Kier's sea monster make up couldn't have been more bizarre and the scene with the talking fish should have been left on the cutting/editing room floor.

The story tries to put twists on some of the events of 'The Adventures of Pinocchio, but just feels like a dull, soulless and charmless retread with role reversals. Pacing is dull, the dialogue couldn't have been more cheesy or bland and the direction often is inept, especially in the talking fish/cart ride scene.

Overall, weak sequel though not without its moments. 4/10 Bethany Cox

To say this is a silly movie is an understatement. The premise, that Gepetto is now turned into a puppet, has a great deal of promise, in that it could have explored the mirror images, so to speak, of the poignant emotions that have made Collodi's original tale immortal. Sadly, none of this occurs. Instead, every millimeter of depth is drained, leaving only an insipid story of a boy and man who seem less real than the puppets they sometimes occupy. Gabriel Thomson, in the title role, comes across as trying very hard to rescue anything he can out of this part, which must have felt pretty humiliating right after "Pip" of "Great Expectations." He showed much more what he was capable of in "Enemy at the Gates" (2001), and then went on to a TV series. I suppose the very young might find a few laughs in this "Pinocchio," but if you're looking for a further lesson in life or what constitutes being human, you won't find it here.

I was part of the "extras" together with my 6 year old daughter. It's true that the site, the weather, were fantastic BUT... you could feel from the beginning that this movie will not be that successful due to many various factors. That was the first time I participated in a movie production and found out that all the people working on the set had an over dimensioned ego, finally, only the actors were nice and friendly. The official photographer was chasing the extras who were taking pics of themselves in their funny costumes. He was threatening us. The casting girl was atrocious, nasty and arrogant. Some extras thought they were THE movie stars and were constantly pushing the others to arrive all the time in front of the cameras. Extras were getting poor food while the crew was nicely treated in term of food. We were so naive, just wanting to participate in a dream, trying to make nice souvenirs. Well, I participated in other movies and yes, I have to say that this movie environment is really a pitiless world, the jungle where the strongest bites the poorest. A simple replication of the world I must say.

The previous writers comments were not based on The New Adventures of Pinochio. In this version Martin Landau (Jeppeto) becomes a puppet when he accidentally drinks a magic potion. An English boy plays his son in the title role and gives a marvelous sensitive performance. Except for some poor special effects, this Pinochio is really fun, believable and a must see. Forget the previous versions. Jeppeto is captured by a traveling circus, and Pinochio with his friend spends his time trying to rescue him, and remove the evil spell. While attempting to rescue Jepetto, Pinochio is captured, falls under this spell and he becomes a wooden boy, This movie is really fun,hard to find. If you are in Europe I think you will be able to see it.

A poorly made g rated movie. Martin Landau as Gepetto is either unconscious in bed or doing a voice over. Talk about phoning in a part. Jonathan is a prince who briefly visits the show, and he has few or no lines. This is what he deserves for walking away from a hit TV show. The drag queen circus master, Udo Kier, looks exactly like Hillary Clinton if she painted an eyeball on her cheek every day. The computer generated wooden puppets look weird, and the blue fairy speaks in clichés. On the plus side, Felinet can snuggle in my lap anytime. This movie is only suitable for little kids and the weak minded; it is excruciating for adults. BC