PLOT: A lonely Hawaiian girl befriends a runaway alien, helping to mend her fragmented family.
REVIEW: With Snow White recently releasing and absolutely bombing, Disney is in a weird place with its live-action adaptations. Once seen as a cash cow, there’s a lot of speculation regarding their future. But if there’s a new interpretation of a cartoon that I was actually looking forward to, it was Lilo & Stitch. I take up the stance that there are plenty of people out there who refuse to watch cartoons. Adapt the story and tweak it so it fits live action, but follow the same script as the cartoon. It’s what all the best of these Disney films have managed to do. Meanwhile, the worst of them try to become something else entirely. So, where does Lilo & Stitch fall?
It’s going to be hard to not just constantly compare this to the original, but I suppose that’s what you get when it comes to these remakes. Lilo & Stitch follows a naughty little alien on the run and finding himself on Earth, on a little island in Hawaii. He befriends a lonely little girl and they quickly come to find that they need each other more than they ever realized. The best thing about Lilo & Stitch is that, despite its alien co-star and rather cosmic story beats, this is a grounded story about family.
The casting of Lilo is so vital as the character is the perfect mix of strong-willed and stubborn while still being easy to root for. Maia Kealoha fits well into the role and her interactions with Sydney Agudong‘s Nani really nail the sisterly spirit. There’s just the right amount of love and frustration towards each other. I had no idea that Tia Carrere would be appearing (she voiced Nani in the cartoon) and she’s a nice physical representation of the love and care put into respecting the original film. Because sure, there are changes, but it all falls in line with the spirit of what came before.
It helps that they brought back Chris Sanders to voice Stitch, really bridging the gaps between live action and animation. He has that perfect tonality and energy; this really does feel like Stitch in every sense. His performance is perfectly captured in live action, with it being a bit surreal to see some of his tics in something other than 2D. The animators should be very proud. Other than Stitch, it’s really Billy Magnussen‘s Pleakley that steals the show. I know there was some controversy because we didn’t get him in drag, but they make up for it with a variety of wacky outfits. And Magnussen is able to get the voice down to perfection. Another big improvement is with Jumba, whom Zach Galifianakis really breathes new life into. He’s expanded a bit, made into more of a villain to root for.
Just like the cartoon, where Lilo & Stitch thrives the most is with its emotional impact. Whether it’s the story of Lilo being taken away from Nani by child services or Lilo being so lonely in the world, it’s easy to connect with her plight. They even give meaning to simple throwaways from the original: Stitch’s aversion to water is explored so much more. I love that they put some reason behind Stitch getting onto the surf board in the first place versus it just being an over-the-top visual. This happens throughout, with nearly every moment expanded upon in a meaningful way.
Dan Romer does a good job creating a similar vibe to Alan Silvestri’s original score. It really covers the Hawaiian vibe well. As some marks against it, I really got sick of the green screen that pops up far too much. Seemed like every time they were on a beach with a lot of sun, they needed green screen for some reason. But really, that’s all I have against it. Maybe it’s just the massive Lilo & Stitch fan in me, but I had an absolute blast here. I laughed, I cried, and I felt more here than I ever expected to. Maybe it’s just Disney’s history with such lifeless adaptations, but this one felt like more.
I still remember seeing the original film in theaters and have very fond memories of the 2D animation. They were able to update it for live action without stepping on the toes of its cartoon counterpart, resisting the urge to arbitrarily change a ton. Had Disney just kept making these style of live action remakes, I don’t think they’d be in the situation they currently are. Because Lilo & Stitch is a good time at the movies that is sure to please fans, old and new alike. On the cartoon to live action front, it’s hard to see Disney topping this.
LILO & STITCH RELEASES TO THEATERS ON MAY 23RD, 2025.
