Leroy & Stitch

Leroy and Stitch gives the Lilo and Stitch series a nice conclusion. I'll admit that it could've took more time to make the finale something amazing and it can be at times melancholy. But it has ended the series well with an exciting villain arc and characters getting new development as the show's finale, along with limited but nice animation. And during the end credits, it is fun to look for names of all 626 experiments not just for the show, but even those that never appeared there as well. By the way, some of these names that didn't make to the show are kinda silly. Have you watched the series, even as a 2000s kid? Then this will satisfy you. The purpose for this is for the grand finale of Lilo and Stitch The Series, and it's definitely for those that have watched the entire series to check out. Not as great as the original, but it succeeds in ending the series on a good note.

When I came across Leroy & Stitch, the supposed conclusion to a franchise that started with such a unique spark, I couldn't help but feel let down. For me, this movie, while meant to be a big climax, suffers from the same issues as many direct-to-video sequels, watering down the original's charm in a production that, sadly, misses the mark on several key points.

What frustrates me most is how repetitive parts of the story are. The idea of Jumba and Pleakley needing a loyalty test makes sense, but forcing Stitch to re-learn the lesson of "ohana" (family) that he already got in the first movie feels like a creative step backward. This goes against his character development and repeats a story we've already seen, which is a major stumble for a film meant to end the saga. Also, keeping Lilo and Stitch apart for most of the movie is a bad choice for any fan of their central relationship; the emotional bond that was the heart of the original series is ignored in favor of galaxy-spanning action.

Despite that, the movie tries to deliver a big climax by focusing on Hämsterviel's galactic takeover and the threat of Leroy, an evil clone of Stitch. The idea of an army of "Stitches" is definitely exciting and answers a question many viewers have had since the first movie. Seeing all the experiments show off their powers in a final battle can be a treat for kids.

However, the production quality is an undeniable weak point. The animation, with its clearly limited and "cheap" look, feels like a TV movie, and that's especially tough to see for the conclusion of such a beloved franchise. The epic scale of the story deserved production values that matched the original film, but the visuals are disappointing, lacking the flow and energy that defined it. The charm, charisma, and quality of the first Lilo & Stitch are just gone, and the whole thing feels lifeless and uninspired.

For me, Leroy & Stitch is a disheartening finale for a franchise that started so brightly. While it tries to be a fun climax and answers some questions about the universe, it fails to capture the essence and quality of its predecessor. The repeated themes, the sidelining of the Lilo-Stitch relationship, and the visibly low-budget production make it an unsatisfactory experience for anyone who loved the original movie. It's a product that works better as an extended TV episode for kids who watched the series, but not as a worthy farewell to one of Disney's most cherished creations. Honestly, I hope this is the end of the direct-to-video Stitch saga, allowing the memory of the original film to remain untouched by such weak sequels.

"Leroy & Stitch," the third sequel in the Lilo & Stitch franchise, serves as both a conclusion to the animated series and a farewell to the beloved characters fans have grown to cherish. The film follows Lilo as she helps Stitch, Jumba, and Pleakley find new roles in the Galactic Federation, just as a new threat-Leroy, an evil Stitch clone-emerges. The film doubles down on sci-fi antics, with an emphasis on action, interstellar battles, and the return of Stitch's many "cousins." While the plot is a bit crowded, it still retains the warm themes of ohana (family) that define the series.

Compared to its predecessors, Leroy & Stitch leans heavily on spectacle rather than emotional depth. The original film's charm came from its grounded storytelling and emotional resonance, while the sequels have progressively moved toward a more formulaic, episodic structure. That said, this installment offers satisfying closure to long-running character arcs, particularly Stitch's evolution from a destructive experiment to a true hero. The final scenes are packed with callbacks and cameos that reward longtime viewers.

As for whether the franchise is getting better or worse, Leroy & Stitch lands somewhere in the middle. It lacks the emotional power of the original and the freshness of the first sequel (Stitch! The Movie), but it fares better than Lilo & Stitch 2, which struggled with tonal consistency. It's a serviceable, energetic finale that prioritizes fan service and action over storytelling nuance. Not groundbreaking, but for fans, it's a fun, fitting goodbye. Would you like a numerical rating or a visual summary to go with the review?

Leroy and Stitch was a film I found very entertaining. I don't think it is as good as the original, which is wonderful and one of Disney's better movies of the 2000s, but I would put it on par with Lilo and Stitch 2:Stitch Has a Glitch, and a notch above the TV series. All of these though are better than Stitch the Movie, while not absolutely terrible, I did find it disappointing and mediocre to say the least.

I did think Leroy and Stitch was a little too short, and a little rushed at times. Also while the story was fast-paced and fun to watch, more could have been done with it, namely Nani and David's relationship and the platonic friendship between Lilo and Myrtle.

This aside, the animation is still lively and colourful, and the soundtrack is bright and breezy. The writing is witty, funny and warm, and the characters still have their infectious personalities, Lilo and Stitch are still cute, Jumba and Pleakley are still funny and Nani's personality thankfully is less distorted than it is in the series. Leroy is a worthy character too, and the voice work is also top notch. All in all, very entertaining. 7/10 Bethany Cox

To all the director and development teams out there please follow this style of ending. I have seen this brand evolve from the beginning from the first movie to the TV series to the video games to the amusement park involvement to the ending. This was by all means a good ending of the brand. Me being in hong kong last year there was one thing that i have to say. Lilo and Stitch is a HUGE and when i say HUGE i mean like crazy huge. Last summer the theme was Summer Blast and who would be doing the blasting well who would be better than stitch. Everything was dressed up as that style and was truly spectacular. Now i feel that this movie really did it justice to the brand. Could it have been better yes of course but most films can be better. I feel maybe they could have played off alittle more on the "key" cousins but in order to do that it would need a longer period than 1 hour. So for the time they had been given i feel it did a good job. And the best part was that they summed everything up with a simple word.

Aloha