La fabrique des monstres

A sweet little monster story with unexpected heart.

From the moment our patch-together protagonist wakes in a forgotten castle laboratory, "Stitch Head" surprises with its warmth, quirky visuals and gentle message of belonging. Director Steve Hudson brings a Frankenstein-inspired tale into the realm of family-friendly fantasy-horror, where the outcast isn't scary - he just wants to be loved.

The animation is charmingly tactile, with textures and designs that give the film a handcrafted feel - think storybook meets spook-cute. While the story may follow familiar beats (leaving home, searching for love, realizing it was there all along), it does so with sincerity and humor, and the characters feel genuinely endearing.

For fans of monster flicks who secretly crave heart, or for younger viewers who like a little spooky edge with their adventure, "Stitch Head" hits the mark. It's not the most groundbreaking film out there, but its visual character and touching core make it a worthy addition to the family-friendly horror/fantasy mix.

Rating: 8/10 - I'll remember the little stitched monster long after the credits roll.

The artwork is wonderful---let's get that out of the way. Clearly, great effort, time and expense was put into that. Would have been nice if the same would have been invested in the story and music.

The story is weak, as is the music. Not a new memorable tune out of the batch. What really bothered me was the derivative characters. There is the one-eyed character from Monsters, Inc. Hey there's the girl with the big round eyeglasses from Inside Out. And course Tim Burton's touch is apparent throughout. I found nothing new here.

The movie is expected to entertain and that's why many viewers find it boring.

The richness of the movie is not in the characters but in the intetion within to show how two different groups of individuals just follow what others say and get isolated fearing each other due to an opinion.

No less important is the intention to show how a person could get lost in the journey to look for love, validation and acceptance.

Kind of boring? Maybe because when we read monsters we are not searching for recociliation nor for forgiveness. My humble opinion.

If you're looking for a movie to keep the kids quiet and entertained for 90 minutes, then 'Stitch Head' will suffice. If you're looking for an animated movie with a deeper underlying message, then this might not be for you. I'll say it straight out: 'Stitch Head' is for kids. The humour is cartoonish and will definitely appeal more to a young demographic.

'Stitch Head' is based on the popular Frankenstein story. A Mad Professor who lives in Castle Grotteskew overlooking a village, creates monsters purely for the sake of...well, creating monsters - and for no other purpose. Every creation is meant to be "his best creation yet", but his best was probably still his first: a boy named Stitch Head. The Monsters are scared of the villagers, and the villagers in turn are frightened of the castle and its monsters - all except one girl named Arabella.

The Professor's latest creation is a one-eyed monster simply called Creature. When Fulbert Freakfinder - owner of a traveling circus - comes knocking at the castle one day, Stitch Head - feeling he doesn't get love from the Professor - decides to join the circus. Saddened by his departure, Creature takes it upon himself to 'rescue' Stitch Head, and the adventure begins. Meanwhile, Stitch Head is a huge success, and even becomes a celebrity among the villagers.

'Stitch Head' feels a bit like a mix of 'Frankenstein', 'The Greatest Showman', 'The Nightmare Before Christmas', 'Monsters Inc.', and even a hint of 'Moulin Rouge' (especially the song lyrics). As I said, this is definitely more for kids, who will no doubt love the monster characters and laugh at their silly antics.

I was excited for this because it looked cute. However it was pretty dull as far as story goes and was more geared towards younger children. It was fun at times and had some strong messages. Just not the movie I was hoping for. Not really a halloween movie either, disappointing on that front for it being the only halloween movie out.

Watched at AMC on 11-3-2025.