Leroy & Stitch (G, 2006)

After capturing all 625 of Dr. Jumba's genetic experiments and turning the creatures into good, productive citizens, Lilo, Stitch, Jumba, and Pleakley have returned to their own lives. Lilo, a caring little Hawaiian girl and an Elvis buff, misses her friends but understands they have their own destinies to fulfill on Planet Turo: Lilo as commander of a Big Red Battleship, Pleakley as an "Earth Studies" professor, and Jumba as a scientist. The friends are soon reunited when the evil Dr. Hamsterviel escapes from prison; forces Jumba to create Leroy, Lilo's evil twin; and clones Leroy into a villainous army. When Leroy steals Stitch's battleship, Lilo enlists Reuben, another genetic experiment whose talents are sandwich-making and spaceship repair, to help her reach Planet Turo. In a grand finale, Stitch and his fellow 625 experiments battle Leroy and his clones to save Planet Turo from the clutches of Hamsterviel.

A lively and fun romp through Planet Turo, Hawaii, and a galaxy or two, LEROY AND STITCH continues the energy and entertainment of earlier Stitch cartoons. Much of the dialogue is quite witty, although some humor may be a little advanced for kids, as when Hamsterviel explains what a rhetorical question is in a hilarious exchange with sidekick Gantu. Dr. Hamsterviel is more amusing than scary in his scene-stealing tirades. The fight scene is fairly innocent, and actually somewhat cute, as the various pastel-colored experiments use their special powers to fight the clones.

The overall message is one of understanding, karma, and the journey of discovering where you belong in the world. Throw in a few toe-tapping Elvis tunes, and this movie rocks.

Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Tony Craig
Cast: Chris Sanders, Daveigh Chase, David Ogden Stiers, Tia Carrere
Genre: Family and Kids
Run time: 73 minutes
Theatrical release: June 27, 2006
DVD release: June 27, 2006
MPAA Rating: G
MPAA explanation: all audiences