Pinocchio Review: 4 Ups & 6 Downs

2. Fabiana Is A Compelling New Addition

Of all the changes made to the story, there is one addition that actually works, and that's the inclusion of a new dancer-puppeteer character by the name of Fabiana, played by newcomer Kyanne Lamaya.

To be clear, Fabiana is an entirely original creation for Zemeckis' film and, believe it or not, surprisingly effective. Fabiana befriends Pinocchio at Stromboli's show, and uses her ballerina puppet Sabina to bond with Pinocchio.

Unlike most contemporary additions to Disney remakes, Fabiana actually feels totally organic to this story and world, and while certainly not a necessary figure in the scope of the story, she does bring some much-needed humanity to a narrative that often feels oddly detached.