What’s It About
Leo the Lizard has been stuck in the same Florida school for decades. When he learns he only has one year left to live, he plans to escape to freedom, but instead has to rescue his class from their horribly mean substitute teacher.
MOVIESinMO REVIEW
Leo is a simple but decently animated movie. It’s got this easygoing humor that hides a lovely story about learning from elders, even if they’re scaly. Adam Sandler, who always plays the eternal man-child, takes on the role of a super old class pet lizard. He does his classic voice as Leo, but a lot of the animation and gags are a bit meh. Some musical numbers don’t really hit the mark, and there’s some awkward stuff like product placement and weird visual gags. Leo, in his depressed mood, said, “I haven’t done anything with my life,” but then this kid takes him home and discovers the class lizard can talk. Leo becomes this wise grandpa figure, advising the kid. And this whole thing happens with every kid in the class taking Leo home, and he becomes the wise sage of the classroom. So Leo wasn’t perfect. Some parts felt off, and let’s be honest, some of the songs were a bit much. Overall, it’s a chill and semi-funny movie. The script has some rough spots, but there are moments of pure genius. And some of the song lyrics are funny but don’t make sense. I get it’s for kids, but good writing is good for everyone, even parents. The movie tries to be all adult with a hint of edge, referencing Charlotte’s Web and stuff. Leo gives life advice to kids, but the whole secret thing is overplayed. The script is a bit lazy, and the animation feels like it’s on autopilot. There’s some energy in the slapstick moments and colorful scenes, but the overall quality is just okay. In the end, Leo might be your jam if you’re into easy laughs and a laid-back animated flick. But if you expect top-tier humor and animation, you might want to look elsewhere.
OUR RATING – THE STANDARD SANDLER 6.5