STITCH HEAD (2025) review
written by: Steve Hudson (screenplay) and Guy Bass (story)
produced by: Sonja Ewers and Mark Mertens
directed by: Steve Hudson
rated: PG (for action, thematic elements, and mild rude humor)
runtime: 89 min.
U.S. release date: October 31, 2025
“Stitch Head” is a movie that succeeds in what it sets out to do: having a good time with fun material. The animated feature, written and directed by Steve Hudson, is based on the children’s book series of the same name by author Guy Bass. It serves as a good introduction to these oddball characters, as well as an entertaining monster comedy for all ages, albeit primarily targeting younger viewers. The first of six books was published in 2011, aimed at 7-10-year-old readers, and featured gothic-styled black-and-white drawings. While this movie may not be the start of a franchise, it nevertheless has a perfectly timed release date, since there are rarely kid-friendly Halloween movies released theatrically this time of year.
I know what you’re thinking…what about all those “Hotel Transylvania” movies? Okay, sure, some of those are funny, but they’re definitely not original and certainly shouldn’t have churned out as many movies as they did.
Hudson takes the universe of characters that Bass created and crafts a colorful and energetic animated feature that touches on themes of loneliness and what it means to be loved. That’s unexpected in a fun and silly story that’s a cross between Frankenstein and “Monsters, Inc.”, one that incorporates musical numbers, offers a sense of familiarity for family audiences, and features an extended finale.
The movie opens in the small English town of Grubbers Nubbin, as boisterous Fulbert Freakfinder (voiced by Seth Usdenov) arrives with his traveling carnival, promising the dour earth-tone townfolk, “Monsters! Monsters! Monsters!” He doesn’t really deliver what he’s advertising; instead, he presents a small band of unusual humans consisting of a bendy guy, an obese woman, and twin brothers, none of whom come close to being freaks or monsters. The locals are far from impressed, as they’ve been living in the shadow of Castle Crotteskew, a fractured, crooked structure atop a winding mountain that’s home to absent-minded Professor Erasmus (Rob Bryden). The mad scientist spends his waking hours piecing together monsters in his laboratory, with his very first creation, Stitch Head (Asa Butterfield), by his side as his assistant.
Stitch Head has taken it upon himself to be the orientation guide for the hapless and disoriented monsters that his creator churns out at a rapid pace. The ADD Erasmus declares every new creation as the Next Best Thing, but quickly discards them for another Next Best Thing. This leaves Stitch Head in charge of guiding these latest additions to the growing assortment of monsters that reside in the castle. Through a system of levers, zip-lines, and pulleys, the monsters are bathed and sequestered to a dormitory with others who were created before them. Stitch Head sits them in front of a projected black-and-white short that provides them with an understanding of their setting and place in life. They are to remain inside the walls of the castle for fear of triggering the angry mob of humans below. So, rather than giving into their instinctive monster side, they remain docile, shy, and scared.
The latest monster to emerge from the laboratory is simply named Creature (Joel Fry), a hairy behemoth with one human arm situated in the middle of his torso. Confused and curious, he proclaims Stitch Head as his “bestest best friend”, yet the original creation is rather blue lately, feeling ignored and undervalued by the Professor. When Fulbert Freakfinder learns of the rumors of the mysterious castle, he goes out of his way to introduce himself to anyone who’ll answer him behind the giant walls. He winds up recruiting Stitch Head into his carnival, promising attention and fame in the world of entertainment. Sure enough, the titular protagonist becomes a popular attraction as the newest monster, turning into a massive moneymaker for Freakfinder. This, however, leaves Creature concerned that he and his fellow creations will never see Stitch Head again, and the naive monster makes his way down to the town in search of his friend.
The very first musical number is delivered at the opening of “Stitch Head,” as Freakfinder and his carnival roll into town. There are Dr. Seuss-like character and vehicle designs to delight in, as the grandstanding showman makes his way through the villages, overpromising and underdelivering traveling oddities. Freakfinder and his crew are our gateway into the world that Hudson and his animators have created, dropping a bright juxtaposition onto an environment shrouded in earth tones.
The animators have a fun time with the conceptual design of the characters that inhabit “Stitch Head”, especially with the variety of monsters that populate the castle. They are a cartoonish lot, spliced together in odd ways, often given normal names. There’s a giant shark named Steve with roided muscle arms instead of fins, and there’s an amphibious female head in a fishbowl named Mary that gets around on spider legs. We don’t spend too much time with the monster gang, but at least we get to see them embrace their inner monster during the third act.
As for the lead character, it’s curious that he’s the first of the monster creatures the Professor has created, yet he appears to be a boy. Sure, his face is stitched together, but the soft-spoken, curious kid is not at all hideous. He’s more along the lines of Pinocchio or Edward Scissorhands, but far from any monstrosity. It is amusing that the character wears a sweater that resembles something Freddy Krueger would wear. Once he becomes a sideshow attraction to Freakfinder’s carnival, which basically requires him to sit in a cage as paying townsfolk enter a train car and bear witness to the boy, it’s a little underwhelming. Funny at first, but the bit dries up quickly.
For some reason, just about all of the locals are frightened by Stitch Head, but one curious young girl named Arabella (Tia Bannon) isn’t phased by his appearance. She’s a precocious and resilient character who becomes the boy’s first ever crush, primarily because she shows him kindness and offers a connection he hasn’t experienced before. As the two form a bond, Stitch Head’s confidence grows, inspiring him to bring the townsfolk, monsters, and freaks together, adding a nice layer of warmth and unity to the feature.
More musical numbers are added to “Stitch Head,” yet none of them are memorable, and they wind up feeling like filler to extend the runtime. On that note, the finale is a tad overlong as well, with Hudson feeling the need to inject formulaic action like so many other animated kids’ fare. Still, the overall animation is appealing with fun characters who come to life thanks to a solid cast. It would’ve been nice, though, if more time and attention had been given to the lead character and the more gentle and tender moments in the story.
RATING: **1/2
