Year: 2022
Runtime: 117 min
Language: English
Directors: Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson
In this enchanting reimagining of Carlo Collodi's classic tale, a wooden puppet is magically brought to life, captivating the heart of a sorrowful woodcarver named Geppetto. Directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson, the story follows Pinocchio's mischievous adventures in a beautifully realized stop-motion world. He encounters a cast of memorable characters and embarks on a journey of self-discovery, learning valuable lessons about family, obedience, and what it truly means to be brave.
Warning: spoilers below!
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Read the complete plot breakdown of Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
In Italy, set against the backdrop of the Great War, we follow Geppetto, a carpenter who is forever changed after losing his beloved son, Carlo, to a tragic bombing incident. In his grief, he plants a pine cone near Carlo’s grave and spends the next two decades engulfed in sorrow. Within the pine tree that grows from this cone resides an anthropomorphic cricket named Sebastian. In a moment of drunken rage, Geppetto decides to cut down the tree to carve a new son from its wood but passes out before he can finish the puppet. It is then that a mystical Wood Sprite, voiced by Tilda Swinton, breathes life into the unfinished puppet, naming him Pinocchio.
As fate would have it, the Wood Sprite meets Sebastian and makes him a promise; in exchange for guiding Pinocchio, she will help him achieve fame. When Geppetto discovers that Pinocchio is alive, he locks him in a closet, intending to keep him safe while attending church. However, Pinocchio disobeys, wandering into the village and startling the townsfolk. The next morning, Geppetto sends Pinocchio to school, but he is intercepted by the cunning former aristocrat-turned-showman, Count Volpe, and his mischievous performing monkey, Spazzatura. Volpe entices Pinocchio to join his circus, pushing him to sign a contract.
Chaos ensues when Geppetto comes to retrieve Pinocchio, leading to a tug-of-war with Volpe that results in Pinocchio getting hit by a passing car. In a bizarre twist, Pinocchio finds himself in the afterlife, where he meets Death, the sister of the Wood Sprite. She reveals that he is immortal and will return to the land of the living only when an hourglass has fully emptied, warning him that with each return, his time in the afterlife will grow longer.
Determined to support Geppetto and evade enlistment by the ruthless Podestà, Pinocchio once again joins Volpe’s circus. During one performance, he delivers a humorous parody aimed at Prime Minister Benito Mussolini, leading to his shooting and subsequent death. Revived again, Pinocchio is taken to a training camp where young boys, under the watchful eye of the Podestà, prepare for war. There he befriends the Podestà’s son, Candlewick, a boy burdened by the fear of failing his father. Advised by Pinocchio, Candlewick stands up to the Podestà, but tragedy strikes when the camp is bombed, resulting in the Podestà’s demise.
Fleeing from the chaos, Pinocchio is captured once more by Volpe, who seeks revenge for the earlier humiliation. However, Spazzatura intervenes during their confrontation, sending Volpe over a cliff where he meets his end. The adventure continues as Pinocchio and Spazzatura are swallowed by the feared Dogfish, reuniting with Geppetto and Sebastian. To escape, Pinocchio expands his nose by lying, using it to create a bridge out of the Dogfish’s blowhole. In a final act of bravery, he detonates a naval mine to save his friends.
Upon reuniting with Death, Pinocchio requests to be sent back to save Geppetto from drowning, fully aware that this choice will lead to his own demise. After heroically rescuing Geppetto, Pinocchio dies once more, prompting Sebastian to use his wish to bring him back. Yet, as foretold by Death, Pinocchio ultimately outlives all those dear to him, witnessing the deaths of Geppetto, Sebastian, and Spazzatura. With a heavy heart, Pinocchio embarks on a journey into the unknown, seeking new adventures until his own time runs out.
Last Updated: November 08, 2024 at 02:58
Still wondering what the ending of Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022) really means? Here’s a spoiler-heavy breakdown of the final scene, major twists, and the deeper themes that shape the film’s conclusion.
In Guillermo del Toro’s “Pinocchio,” the ending reveals a powerful metaphor about conformity, sacrifice, and the destructive nature of fascist regimes. Throughout the story, Pinocchio is portrayed as a symbol of innocence and truth, often questioning the absurd and cruel rules imposed by the authorities. When Pinocchio’s friend Candlewick proposes a way for everyone to win by working together, it directly challenges the regime’s ideology that only victory through conflict and division is valid. This idea shakes the foundation of fascism, which thrives on promoting loyalty to the state at the expense of individual thought and morality.
As the story progresses, the regime’s manipulation becomes clearer—children are molded into uniform, obedient citizens through propaganda and a curriculum designed to suppress dissent. Pinocchio’s growth shows his increasing awareness of the lies fed to him, especially when he witnesses the media sensationalizing his mistakes to entertain the crowds. This is symbolized in the scene where Geppetto is angry at the audience for enjoying Pinocchio’s nose growing—highlighting how media distorts truth for entertainment and profit. The propaganda creates a false sense of patriotism, encouraging people to accept violence and war as the only paths to honor and glory. The regime’s obsession with medals, flags, and military drills aims to glorify conflict and suppress independent thinking, as shown when Candlewick’s father asks him to betray his friend to maintain loyalty to the state.
In the final moments, Pinocchio and Candlewick’s attempt to promote unity and peace confronts the regime’s oppressive mindset. When they try to share a message of cooperation, the regime feels threatened, leading to Candlewick being instructed to kill Pinocchio—a heartbreaking reflection of how totalitarian governments silence dissent through violence and fear. But Pinocchio’s innocence and desire for truth ultimately prove stronger than the destructive narrative imposed by the regime. The story ends with Pinocchio’s moral victory—his unwavering belief in honesty and peace—serving as a subtle rebuke to authoritarian control and a reminder of the importance of questioning and standing up against tyranny. The film’s conclusion echoes the timeless message that genuine humanity survives only through truth, compassion, and independent thought, even in the face of oppressive forces.
Last Updated: June 25, 2025 at 08:58
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