– A Promising Premise That Just Didn’t Land
I started watching Leo with a fair amount of optimism. The premise—a classroom pet lizard going on a journey of discovery with the kids—felt fresh and fun, and the animation style was inviting enough to pull me in early. It seemed like the kind of film that could blend humor, heart, and a meaningful message, which is something I always appreciate in animated movies. But this one seemed especially aimed at younger audiences, and somewhere along the way, it lost me.
In all fairness, I didn’t finish the movie. I got about 45 minutes in before deciding to turn it off, which is something I rarely do. One of my personal rules for watching movies is to give them about 30 minutes—if I’m not hooked by then, it’s okay to move on. And Leo, despite its charming setup, just didn’t hold my interest.
What really turned me off was the music. I didn’t realize going in that this was a musical, and that alone wouldn’t have been an issue if the songs had drawn me in. But the first few numbers just didn’t land. They weren’t catchy, and I didn’t feel like they elevated the story. If anything, they pulled me out of the experience rather than drawing me deeper into it.
It’s also possible that since my kids are older now, some of these newer animated films hit a little differently. I can see Leo appealing more to younger viewers or families with elementary-aged kids. But from my perspective, it felt like a miss.
This isn’t a full review, since I didn’t finish the film, and I’ll always acknowledge that some movies get better in the back half. But from what I saw, Leo just wasn’t something that resonated with me.
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