"Pinocchio: Unstrung Film Review – A Brutal Yet Absurd Low-Budget Horror That Will Make You Laugh Uncomfortably"

PINOCCHIO: UNSTRUNG

(18) 83mins

★★★☆☆

LET’S be honest, there’s plenty that’s creepy about the original story of Pinocchio.

He’s a naughty wooden puppet that longs to be a real boy, created by a poor carpenter.

Pinocchio: Unstrung is a gruesome horror film that’s set on home soil in the UK and features good casting Credit: PA The film is gory and surprisingly brutal in many ways, but so absurd you can’t help but do some nervous laughter Credit: PA

That puppet then lies compulsively and deforms his nose in the process. It’s most certainly a thing of nightmares.

So it’s no surprise that the 1883 fantasy by Carlo Collodi has now been made into a gruesome .

Joining the growing Twisted Childhood Universe films, it follows in the demonic footsteps of Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare and the grim version of Bambi.

And this version certainly gives a unique take on the possessed puppet.

Interestingly, it is set in the UK. Geppetto (Richard Brake) is caring for his grandson, James (Cameron Bell), who has already gone through a huge amount of tragedy, losing his parents and best friend. He’s also getting bullied at his posh private school.

In the basement of his sprawling manor house, Geppetto has created a freaky wooden walking, talking model, meant to support young James.

After being terrified in their initial meeting, the lad starts to form a friendship with the giant splinter and shows his new dummy pal some David Attenborough films. Pinocchio is taught to “protect” his tribe by the documentary, which he vows to do for James, no matter what.

Not knowing the seriousness of this promise, James sneaks his new friend out of the basement to spend the day at school with him, without telling his grandad.

The doll goes on a rampage to eliminate all things bad under the guidance of the sinister Cricket (voiced by Nightmare On Elm Street ’s ).

This starts with him accidentally causing a horrific — and a little hilarious — death of two teachers in the gym. Then his protective rage turns on a hospital patient who just won’t die.

It’s gory and surprisingly brutal in many ways, but so absurd you can’t help but laugh nervously.

The child actors are all surprisingly watchable, with good casting and a decent script for a storyline so completely ludicrous.

Written and directed by Rhys Frake-Waterfield, this low-budget horror should be watched with pals who are up for screaming and laughing at the gore and huge death count.

No strings attached.

CHICKENHARE AND THE SECRET OF THE GROUNDHOG          

(PG) 88mins

★★★☆☆

This animated kids’ film about a half-chicken-half-hare has decent animation but its story is wildly overcomplicated Credit: PA

THIS surprisingly complex animated kids’ film about a half-chicken-half-hare is the sequel to 2022’s Chickenhare And The Hamster Of Darkness.

This time Chickenhare (voiced by Jordan Tartakow) and his best pals – a skunk called Meg and a tortoise called Abe – go in search of a 3,000-year-old groundhog who can turn back time.

Our introduction to the gang is an Indiana Jones- inspired sequence, with the trio trying to find a golden spork while avoiding being drowned by boiling-hot tomato soup.

But soon they are on another complicated mission, chasing the groundhog along with Chicken-hare’s long-lost sister, Gina (Xanthe Huynh).

All of them have special powers to help on the task, with Meg having the ability to make a horrific stink, and Chickenhare, who is mostly hare with a few chicken feathers, able to fly using his huge ears.

The animation is decent, the characters gently pleasing, and there are plenty of fast-paced capers to make it watchable. But the story is wildly overcomplicated.

Luckily, there’s a sweet moral to the whole thing about friendship and forgiveness to tie it all up.

WHAM! 10 DAYS IN CHINA

(12A) 90mins

★★★★★

Wham! 10 Days in China is a fascinating film with never-seen-before footage that offers remarkable insight into 1980s China Credit: PA

IN 1985, and – Wham! as they were then – made history as the first Western pop band to play communist .

This fascinating film features , recorded by social realist director Lindsay Anderson, but shelved after rows between him and the band. The films were archived, unedited.

Now, Mike Christie has turned the archived footage into a brilliant documentary, which interviews Ridgeley along with backing singers Pepsi and Shirley, offering a remarkable insight into 1980s China.

Fraught with problems, Wham! were pretty much ordered to play the gigs by their manager, Simon Napier-Bell, who knew it would get them huge press in the US where the duo were yet to break.

The UK press were invited to the trip, much to Ridgeley’s dismay. There’s footage of him whispering, “I f***ing hate them” to George, who keeps a rigid smile on his face.

But it’s the reaction of the Chinese watching their first concert that is a thing of beauty.

Their bodies take over and dance as never before, and the result shows the true power of pop.

In cinemas on July 28.