Pinocchio Unstrung is one the strongest entries in the Twisted Childhood Universe (or the TCU as it’s more commonly known as) so far. Sure, I skipped around and I’m only two films in with Bambi: The Reckoning and now this. But 2‑0 on genuinely good movies; and if this streak continues, with clear ambition on sub-million-dollar films.
The lower risk is what the filmmakers seem to revel in. And what fun they have with creating this dark, twisted adaptation. This film (currently showing in theaters at the time of this review) is brutal; clever; loud; yet surprisingly thoughtful; it doesn’t fall into the usual trap of being “dark” for the sake of being dark; but instead, commits to a tone that comes across as lived-in mythology. When the dark fairy-tale horror film was first revealed, I didn’t have my expectations too high, but I sure had an entertaining time through its brisk runtime.
Pinocchio Unstrung Won’t String You Along
The first thing that stands out is how good Pinocchio Unstrung looks; the presentation, sourced from 4K cameras, makes the practical effects easy to appreciate. In‑camera work is tactile and readable; the puppet designs are physical in a way that most creature‑heavy productions fail to achieve. You can see appreciate the wood grain and carved surfaces of the titular character; the joints and imperfections come through clearly. The effects team make it imperative for the audience to understand this practicality and physical world, before the violence. And rather than blur it behind digital smoothing; the brutality does indeed have weight because of these real materials; the kills land harder because the camera isn’t unbelieving or hiding anything.
When speaking with Screenrant, the director revealed that the movie is “very, very technical and needed a lot of planning.” And make no mistake; this film is passionate about presenting some gore by way of Final Destination accidents with the splatter and intricate gore design of the recent Terrifier pictures. From the opening kill onward, the movie announces exactly what kind of experience it intends to deliver; as the violence escalates steadily, and the gross‑out humor becomes more extreme; the gore grows more elaborate. I was surprised to find the film never even pretends it’s going to pull back. It’s relentless; intentional; and fully aware of how far it’s pushing things. I kept thinking about what the theater experience must have been like; the gasps; the laughter; the discomfort; the shock. It’s wild to remember that this started life as a fairytale movie; the tonal shift is so complete that you almost forget the source material until the film reminds you with a static character beat from the source material or an overt visual callback.
Pinnochio Unstrung Has a Jiminy Cricket to Keep You Up at Night
Not everything works; as I am sad to report that the much-hyped Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Street, Stranger Things, The Mangler) playing Cricket is wasted. There is nothing substantial in his portrayal that doesn’t just leave an unpleasant taste in your mouth; he hollowly reacts; he snidely comments as people are brutalized but overall, he only exists with toxicity. Worst yet, his existence doesn’t add anything meaningful to the heart of the film. This I found to be a missed opportunity; especially given how much the film seems interested into the moral ambiguity and self-awareness of Pinocchio’s actions. Jiminy could have been a counterweight; instead, he’s a familiar face included that feels included just because the story requires him. I would’ve almost preferred him as well, to be a practical effect for his screen presence to have more gravity.
Gepetto suffers from a similar issue; his motivations feel muddled; especially toward the end. I think the filmmaker wants him to seem conflicted or broken, with a hint of desperation. But the writing doesn’t support those choices that he makes when considering flashbacks and the like. As things are unstrung, his decisions are less and less character development. Instead, they serve more like plot necessity to get to a violent climax at the end of the film. As such, there’s emotional logic that doesn’t track; and the film pushes him toward certain beats without giving Richard Brake (The Munsters 2022, Mandy, Batman Begins) the foundation to play him with much-needed transparency.
Artistically, the strongest element of the film is its brutality; not just in terms of gore, but in how it frames Pinocchio himself. Casting a child actor in the role was an inspired choice; the film leans into the character’s ignorance; his lack of understanding; the unsettling contrast between innocence and violence. It’s clear the filmmakers were careful about what the actor actually saw or understood; I doubt he’s aware of the full extent of the brutality his character inflicts; the performance works because of that ignorance. The disconnect between the child’s natural demeanor and the horrific actions of the puppet creates a tension that no adult actor could replicate; it’s one of the film’s smartest decisions; it pays off repeatedly.
A Window to a Larger World; The Twisted Childhood Universe Grows
The child actors across the board are asked to do a lot; emotionally; physically; tonally. It’s the best‑case scenario for the scale of the project; they rise to the challenge of being exploited to imagine themselves in devastating depictions of pain and misery, without ever being out of their depth. The film’s tone depends on that balance; so during extreme violence the performances are grounded enough, and never came across with an intent of parody. In an interview with Dexerto, the director seems to be aware of this, but also applied it as the overall lens of the film. Referencing that “the general message behind [Pinnochio Unstrung] is about how the voices which surround children can shape their understanding of the world, and lean them down different paths.”
One thing I appreciate is how much the film respects its own universe; the Twisted Childhood films have been uneven in tone; but Pinnochio Unstrung feels like it understands what it wants to be. It’s not trying to mimic Disney; it’s not trying to chase Kingdom Hearts or MCU aesthetics; and it’s not trying to be edgy for the sake of it. Instead, it leans toward the original text; the darker; stranger; more morally complex version of Pinocchio; it modernizes that foundation without losing the core. If the franchise continues in this direction; focusing on literature rather than nostalgia; I believe it has every right to exist and expand.
The after‑credits sequence is worth seeing; it’s a vignette that clarifies the fates of certain characters; it’s something you’ll miss entirely if you rush out of the theater. This piece of storytelling reframes the ending; it hints at future directions for the character. There’s already speculation about where Pinocchio might go next; the after‑credits scene supports that conversation.
Pinnochio Unstrung Has a Must-watch End-Credits Sequence
GettyThe credits themselves are worth staying for; not just for the vignette, but for the behind‑the‑scenes glimpses of the effects team. You can see the work; the craft; the problem‑solving; the sheer amount of effort that went into making the puppet effects readable and convincing. There’s a sense of pride in how the film showcases its own making; it’s rare to see a production this open about the labor behind the spectacle. It’s a reminder that practical effects aren’t just nostalgic; they’re a form of storytelling; so the ending of the film effectively highlights this work in a well-edited montage.
Overall, Pinocchio Unstrung is a great film; not perfect; not polished; but confident in what it wants to be. The missed opportunities with Jiminy and Gepetto will sink the film for some; and they’re reminders that even strong movies have weak spots. What matters is that the film commits to its tone; its craft; its interpretation of the character. It’s worth watching and discussing further with more appearances of the character; but it’s most definitely worth sticking through the credits to appreciate the work that went into it.
If the Twisted Childhood Universe keeps leaning into literature rather than nostalgia; keeps trusting practical effects over digital shortcuts; the winning streak continues. I hope the next film follows this path; there’s a lot of potential here; Unstrung proves that these stories can be reimagined without losing their core.
