The following contains spoilers for Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, now available to stream on Netflix.

Pinocchio is a classic story with plenty of adaptations, including a brand-new one. The creator of this Netflix film is none other than the king of twisted fantasy films, Guillermo del Toro. That said, it's no surprise to many that his take on the tale of a wooden puppet is much darker than its Disney counterparts. But is this film child-friendly like its peers?

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio follows a grieving father as he loses his son. To combat this, he creates a wooden puppet in the shape of a boy. His wish for a child comes true as the puppet, named Pinocchio, comes to life and gives the old man a chance at fatherhood again.

Related: REVIEW: Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio is a Heartbreaking, Beautifully Animated Masterpiece

What's the Age Rating for Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio?

Characters in Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

The Netflix stop-motion animation film, Pinocchio, is currently rated PG, meaning some parental guidance may be necessary. This is based on the film's dark themes, violence, rude humor, and a little bit of smoking. A similar rating can be found on the other 2022 Pinocchio film made by Robert Zemeckis. That film is also rated PG but mainly for scary moments rather than dark themes.

While this description may not be surprising for fans of Guillermo del Toro, the use of "dark themes" in the warning may shock some people. Kids' movies tend not to feature dark themes that are notable enough for a warning. Del Toro's Pinocchio is not one of these films, as there are many sequences that would ordinarily warrant a PG-13 rating.

Why Parents Should Be Wary of del Toro's Pinocchio

Pinocchio is not extremely inappropriate by any means, and it may be fine for some children. However, parents should be aware of the dark but imaginative nature of the film before their youngins watch. The newest Guillermo del Toro flick is set in 1930s Italy, in between the two World Wars. So, that alone should be some indicator that the film won't be all rainbows and unicorns.

Related: Guillermo del Toro Wants Pinocchio to Revive Stop-Motion

Instead, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio opens with Geppetto losing his young son, Carlo, during a bombing raid. This is not a confined incident, however, as the depictions of war throughout the film involve plenty of bombings and violence in general. After the beloved wooden yet sentient Pinocchio is introduced, he's set to a military camp. Here, he and other young boys are trained as soldiers. When the camp is attacked, the children are even put in gas masks, handed guns, and sent into combat. The immortal Pinocchio tragically and violently dies many times throughout the film. Just a few of these deaths include being shot, drowned, hit by a car, and nearly burned alive. During Pinocchio's journey to becoming a "real boy," the titular puppet comes across and fights fascists, including Benito Mussolini -- the Italian fascist dictator.

The graphic depictions of war throughout Pinocchio provide a new twist on the classic tale. But the film also has underlying themes that are nothing new. The original story of young Pinocchio and Geppetto is much darker than the 1940 Disney film. Both the film and the original novel explore enduring themes of honesty, bravery, and, unfortunately, death and loss. Geppetto is a grieving parent longing to hold on to his lost son while also teaching Pinocchio about the importance of honesty and character.

Determining if Netflix's visually stunning Pinocchio is appropriate for children is not so black and white. It mainly depends on the child's age and maturity level. But, of course, exposing the little ones to any new movie is something that all parents should consider. Fear not, though; if del Toro's Pinocchio is too much for family movie night, there are plenty of other adaptations to choose from.

To see a darker take on a classic tale, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio is available to stream on Netflix.