On his very first day, after he has gotten Geppetto arrested, he experiences “a hunger so real it ... world of Pinocchio that he had the power to bring dead children back to life.

Del Toro's refusal to idealize children grounds the fantastical story with a kid character who feels real in his ... who need him, Pinocchio is a miracle. For Pinocchio, his life is a miracle.

The concept of a puppet being infused with life is body horror in itself ... and being reborn as a real boy, Pinocchio is ...