Stitch Head Review
Photo courtesy of Kazoo Films.
I have always been a staunch believer in animation as a medium, not a genre. It physically makes my skin crawl when films like WALL·E, Beauty and the Beast, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse are described as kids’ films simply because they’re animated.
Sure, WALL·E isn’t dropping F-bombs and the action in Spider-Verse is hardly intense, but so many animated films are shelved by potential viewers purely because of the medium in which they’re told.
That being said, Steve Hudson’s most recent animated feature, Stitch Head, is a kids’ film.
Now, that is not a slight on the film. It tells the sweet story of the titular Stitch Head (Asa Butterfield), the first monstrous creation brought to life by evil inventor The Amazing Maurice (Rob Brydon). After showing Maurice’s latest creation, Creature (Joel Fry), around the castle, Stitch Head is whisked away by the aptly named Fulbert Freakfinder to join his travelling freak show.
The cast is absolutely star-studded (if you’re a fan of British telly). Joining Butterfield, Brydon, and Fry are the likes of Alison Steadman of Gavin & Stacey fame, as well as comedians Fern Brady and Jamil Maddix.
In terms of story, much like one of the monsters in the film, the narrative pulls from familiar tales such as Pinocchio and Frankenstein to ultimately tell a story of someone othered and alienated by society who simply wants to feel loved.
What weakens the film is its reliance on tedious and unfunny jokes that blur the tender story at the foundation of the film, accidentally creating somewhat of a monster in itself. It’s almost hard to even describe these jokes; frequently delivered at full volume, they feel more at home in a spooky episode of Peppa Pig than in a feature-length film. Now, I’m well aware that I, a nearly 27-year-old woman, am not the target audience for this particular film. However, I don’t think that just because the target audience skews younger, you can get away with unfunny jokes and, (spoiler warning), a dance party ending.
Where Stitch Head fails is in its lack of trust in its audience, shying away from deeper explorations of character in favour of silly antics and rogue musical numbers that seem plopped in simply to ensure the film meets a feature-length runtime.
Overall, Stitch Head is a sweet yet unoriginal story. With solid voice performances from its cast, in particular Butterfield, who is almost unrecognisable in the role, the film relies too heavily on bad gags to leave any lasting effect on its audience. For young families looking for a spooky watch this coming Halloween, Stitch Head is the film for you. Otherwise, perhaps I can point you in the right direction towards an animated film a bit more suited to your tastes.
★★
In UK cinemas from 13th February/ Asa Butterfield, Joel Fry, Tia Bannon, Rob Brydon, Alison Steadman, Fern Brady, Jamali Maddix / Dir:Steve Hudson/Kazoo Films/ PG
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