PINOCCHIO UNSTRUNG
(director/writer: Rhys Frake-Waterfield; cinematographer: Vince Knight; editor: Dan Allen; music: Andrew Scott Bell; cast: Richard Brake (Geppetto), Cameron Bell (James), Jessica Balmer (Mia, prep school student), Robert Englund (Cricket-voice), Jack Art Gray (Dudley, prep school student), Belinda Fenty (Dentist), Kelly Rian Sanson (Miss Daniels, teacher), Toni Olabanji (Trey, bully), Luca Marandola (Logan, friend of bully), Karolina Knight (Amanda, Trey’s gf), Elliott Spilling (Zach), Jude Evan Lloyd (Pinocchio-voice); Runtime: 82; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Rhys Frake-Waterfield, Scott Chambers; A Viva Pictures; 2026-UK/USA)
“Grisly and campy.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
A comedic and twisted puppet slasher flick by Brit filmmaker Rhys Frake-Waterfield (“Firenado”/”The Killing Tree”), using animatronics and puppetry for a film that turns grisly and campy. Ir’s produced by the Twisted Childhood Universe, known for its weird child films.
In London’s countryside, Geppetto (Richard Brake) is a wealthy clock-maker and puppet creator, who lives in a creepy Gothic mansion with his 14-year-old grandson James (Cameron Bell), whose folks were killed in a car accident. When James’s friend Zach (Elliott Spilling) dies from a terminal illness, Geppetto creates the odd looking wooden Pinocchio puppet (voiced by Jude Evan Lloyd) for him to have as a companion. The unworldly puppet craves to become a little boy and is protective of James.
Geppetto orders James to always keep Pinocchio at home and tell no one else about him. Of course he disobeys the order and one day brings him to his elite prep school by hiding him in his backpack to meet his school friends Dudley (Jack Art Gray) and Mia (Jessica Balmer).
When bullies bother James, the puppet goes berserk on them and he does the same to the dentist (Belinda Fenty) James has an appointment with after-school.
“PU” has its amusing moments but no big scares. Give me the classic children’s tale as is, over this sicko B-film horror.
REVIEWED ON 8/2/2026 GRADE: C+
dennisschwartzreviews.com