Pinocchio: Unstrung Review: Killer Puppetry, Weak Story
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- "Pinocchio: Unstrung" stars Richard Brake as a mad-scientist-style Geppetto and Cameron Bell as his orphaned grandson James, with Robert Englund appearing as a cursed, nameless incarnation of Jiminy Cricket.
- The film's puppetry and animatronics are praised as a triumph — a craggy, splintery, handmade design that the reviewer says is showcased in behind-the-scenes footage running through the closing credits.
- Pinocchio harvests human organs he believes will make him human, with the review noting the puppet has also clocked that Geppetto gave him no manhood.
- The most inventive kill is set in a school gym and features death by treadmill and falling weights, though the reviewer calls it the least motivated setpiece.
- The gore effects are described as organic and old-school, abundantly gross and grisly in the cheap-and-cheerful slasher tradition.
- The Variety review faults Frake-Waterfield's script as 'semi-coherent' and the jump scares as 'oddly muffled,' with a muddy sound mix undermining the visuals.
- Frake-Waterfield shows more visual initiative than in 'Blood and Honey,' and the review argues his provocations feel 'more spirited, and less calculated for viral impact' this time around.
Why it matters: For indie horror fans tracking the Twisted Childhood Universe franchise, the review suggests Frake-Waterfield is maturing beyond viral-stunt provocation into more visually inventive, tactile work — though his writing still can't sustain the mayhem. The Robert Englund casting and practical-effects showcase hint at a director settling into a real B-horror auteur identity rather than chasing meme-fuel.
