Pinocchio: Unstrung
Horror slasher using Pinocchio IP from the director of Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey
The brief
Rhys Frake-Waterfield continues his twisted childhood IP rampage after Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, turning Carlo Collodi's wooden boy into a moral extremist who decides to purge the world of "badness." Robert Englund brings his horror legend gravitas to what's essentially a slasher wearing the skin of a beloved fairy tale, while the film leans hard into campy gore over genuine scares. The pacing stumbles between family-friendly setup and R-rated mayhem, never quite finding its footing in either world. This is squarely for horror completists who enjoyed the gonzo absurdity of Blood and Honey or anyone curious to see how far these public domain horror adaptations can stretch before snapping.
The verdict
If you're a horror completist who loved the trashy absurdity of Blood and Honey or want to see Robert Englund chew scenery while a wooden puppet commits bloody mayhem, this campy gore-fest delivers exactly what's promised on the tin. If you prefer coherent horror films or have any attachment to the original Pinocchio story, this tonal mess that can't decide between family setup and R-rated slaughter will leave you wishing you were a real boy who could walk away.
Watch with
- 👥 Horror completists and gore hounds
- ⚠️ Anyone expecting faithful Pinocchio adaptation
- ⚠️ Children or families
Heads up
- Extreme graphic violence and gore (frequent)
- Child endangerment in horror context (moderate)
- Disturbing imagery involving beloved character (frequent)
- Jump scares and sudden violence (moderate)
Credits
- Director
- Rhys Frake-Waterfield
- Cast
- Jude Evan Lloyd, Robert Englund, Cameron Bell, Jessica Balmer, Richard Brake, Scott Chambers, Kelly Rian Sanson
Official synopsis
We follow James as his grandfather, Geppetto, introduces him to a seemingly magical doll to become best friends.
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with Perfect Blue (1998)
Both explore innocence corrupted through artificial personas turned dangerously obsessive.
