Collodi's morality tale comes off wooden

By Yenni Kwok

JAKARTA (JP): Lying is wrong and unethical. However, The Adventures of Pinocchio shows that sometimes, lying can be used to save oneself from danger.

But parents, don't worry. This film does not preach at children to be liars. Instead, it shows how ethics and morals really lie in a gray area.

This heavy message is wrapped in a sweet coating of witty jokes and slapstick humor. However the film lacks strong emotional content. The sad scenes are quickly glossed over and the story moves on to happier events.

Pinocchio (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) is not a model child. He is a reflection of an average child. He is curious, naive, trusting and yearns for love and attention. The big difference is, well, he is a wooden puppet.

The difference between Pinocchio and an average puppet is what he is made of. He is made of special pine wood, on which his maker, Geppetto (Martin Landau), carved a heart to express his love for Leona (Genevieve Bujold) years ago. And, it is the love that enlivens the puppet.

Noisy

At first, Geppetto tries to deny having to shoulder any responsibilities of being a father to Pinocchio. Who could blame him? He has never liked children, as he says, "They are noisy." Moreover, Pinocchio is some kind of magnet for problems. Leave him alone and he will create problems: causing havoc in a cake shop and in a class are but two.

However, it is difficult for Geppetto to deny his true loving feelings, especially after he sees the need to protect Pinocchio from evil. A greedy couple, Felinet (Bebe Neuwirth) and Volpe (Rob Schneider), see an opportunity to sell the puppet to Lorenzini (Udo Kier), an evil puppeteer.

While Pinocchio struggles to fit into the world (with a belief that he will if he is a real boy), Geppetto learns how to convey his love to Pinocchio and to Leona. Interestingly enough, Geppetto fits more comfortably into a grandfatherly role rather than that of a father. Lacking a father's respectability, he never punishes Pinocchio for what he does.

Instead, the "father-knows-best" role is played by a cricket called Pugnacio Elocuzio P. Elegante, a.k.a PEPE (voice by David Doyle). With the Genie-like cynical humor of Aladdin, Pepe guides Pinocchio through his problems, giving advice and guidance. His advice is not only about ethics but also about survival in this cruel world. We will see how Pinocchio blooms, from a naive, trusting boy to a street-smart kid, able to save his friends and father.

A children's movie would not be complete without fun and laughter. Directed by Steve Barron, whose resume includes Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Adventures of Pinocchio delivers many witty lines and much slapstick humor. The source of the latter is the clueless Volpe, whose untidy red hair resembles the devil's horns.

Although the movie is good at explaining how things begin -- for example why Pinocchio can be alive, it does not do such a good job at explaining the happy ending. We never know how the lost boys who become donkeys in Lorenzini's Terra Magica regain their human forms.

Prague

Filmed in Prague, Czech Republic, The Adventures of Pinocchio tries to stay as closely as possible to the 1883 original version by Carlo Collodi. It is a fairy tale without fairies. In fact, it is about miracles made by humans themselves.

The creation of the blue, doe-eyed Pinocchio and Pepe, Pinocchio's conscience mentor, was engineered by Jim Henson's Creature Shop. Although the puppets' movements are smooth, the face of Pinocchio the puppet is a drawback. It is a little bit scary. The wooden textures of his face resemble wrinkles (They could have polished the puppet). The eyes are too big for such a small face, giving an impression of this supposedly adventurous boy being continually scared.

Thomas (Tom and Huck, Lion King) is great as Pinocchio, both when he lends his voice to the puppet and when he acts as the human Pinocchio. Meanwhile, Landau (Ed Wood) gives a convincing performance as a lonely and shy puppetmaker. Although they are the only notable actors in the movie, they all help to develop the emotions present in the father-son relationship.

The scene when Pinocchio turns into a boy, for example, could have been much more powerful. Pinocchio just goes through a big adventure, escapes from the stomach of a whale, and thus saves his father. His dream of becoming a real boy even comes true. Unfortunately, the scene fails to deliver as touching emotions as the Disney version.