Dir: Dean Fleischer Camp
Cast: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Hannah Waddingham, Chris Sanders, Courtney B. Vance, Zach Galifianakis, Maia Kealoha
While Disney continues to struggle in translating the magic of their animated classics into live-action, their latest effort does succeed in recapturing the lovable and chaotic nature of its eponymous duo
Only a few weeks after the incredibly misjudged “Snow White” failed to win the hearts of critics and audiences alike, Disney is back again with their latest live-action reboot of a beloved childhood classic, this time coming in the form of the sweet but anarchic, Hawaiian-set sci-fi comedy “Lilo & Stitch”. While it is loved by many of a certain age, “Lilo & Stitch” has never been regarded as one of Disney’s most cherished animations, having been released at the start of what is widely considered the weakest era in the iconic animated studio’s history. Following the critical and commercial successes of the 90s Disney renaissance, the studio’s popularity took a hit in the 2000s following a string of underwhelming and forgettable releases, such as “Home on the Range” (2004), “Chicken Little” (2005), “Meet the Robinsons” (2007), and while “Lilo & Stitch” is generally regarded to be the best outing for Disney in the post-renaissance era, it never quite reached the highs of the numerous animated classics that came just before it.
That being said, the public response to the adorable and mischievous blue alien himself has always been universally positive, with Stitch arguably being one of Disney’s most profitable mascots ever since the film’s release over twenty years ago. This popularity has sky-rocketed further following the announcement of this live-action adaptation in 2018, resulting in “Lilo & Stitch” becoming one of the best-selling Disney franchises of all time. As a result, it comes as no surprise to me that Disney’s latest live-action reboot is absolutely crushing at the box office in its opening weekend, looking likely to have the best opening weekend of any film so far in 2025 by potentially racking up an impressive $180 million in the United States alone.
Despite never being a huge admirer of the original “Lilo & Stitch” myself, even I cannot deny how cute and lovable Stitch is, and his relationship with Lilo in the animated film is where the film’s true strengths lie. While I am often trepidatious about these live-action remakes, I was quietly confident going into my Friday night screening of “Lilo & Stitch”, largely due to my fondness for the titular duo, but also the talent involved behind the camera and in the recording studio. Director Dean Fleischer Camp is no stranger to live-action/animation hybrids, having co-created the stop-motion short films “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On”, and subsequent theatrical project. I was mostly reassured by the return of Chris Sanders, who reprises his role of Stitch on the big screen for the first time in 23 years. As well as voicing Stitch, Sanders, along with Dean DeBlois, co-created the original animation, with the filmmaker and voice actor going on to also find success with big screen adaptations of “How to Train Your Dragon” (2010-present) and “The Wild Robot” (2024), so having him involved in production can only benefit this live-action remake.
Those unfamiliar with or have forgotten Stitch’s origins won’t have to wait long, as we are immediately introduced to the fluffy, four-armed alien as he stands trial alongside his creator, mad scientist Dr. Jumba Jookiba (Zack Galifianakis). The latest of Jumba’s many experiments, (the 626nd to be exact), Stitch demonstrates aggressive and destructive tendencies, resulting in him being sentenced to exile by the United Galactic Federation. Having escaped captivity, Stitch hijacks a red space cruiser which subsequently crash-lands on the Hawaiian island of Kaua’i. Having also been sentenced to exile, Jumba is offered an early release by the Grand Councilwoman (Hannah Waddingham) if he and deputised “Earth expert”, Agent Pleakley (Billy Magnussen), successfully capture Experiment 626.
Having crashed a Hawaiian wedding, Stitch is taken to an animal shelter where he is adopted by troubled and equally mischievous six-year-old, Lilo Pelekai (Maia Kealoha). Following the death of her parents, Lilo is raised by her older sister Nani (Sydney Elizebeth Agudong), whose financial and custodial issues result in the local social worker, Mrs. Kekoa (Tia Carrere), deeming her to be an unfit guardian. Having been tasked to fulfil a several goals before social services return the following week, Nani’s struggles mount due to the disruptive natures of both Lilo and Stitch, whose shenanigans have also garnered the attention of CIA Agent, Cobra Bubbles (Courtney B. Vance), and the disguised Jumba and Pleakley.
Following an all too rushed opening that establishes Stitch’s unpredictable and troublesome nature, Disney’s live-action adaptation of “Lilo & Stitch” finally settles into a pacing more befitting of its idyllic, tropical setting. Similar to the original animated film, this reboot finds its feet the moment Lilo and Stitch cross each other’s paths for the first time, with talented, young newcomer Kealoha doing a sensational job of conveying childlike wonder and adoration with one of the least convincing “dogs” you will ever see. The special effects team has done an amazing job here in seamlessly blending the heavily computer-generated Stitch into the real world, so much so that I found him to be even cuter and fluffier here than he was in the original animation. It is a true testament to Kealoha to have such strong on-screen chemistry on set with a character who is not present during filming, and this connection between the two adds to the emotional weight of this more sentimental live-action retelling.
I think the supporting cast balances the live-action production, with the childish, and often cartoonish antics very well, with Billy Magnussen and Zach Galifianakis providing much of the film’s slapstick humour. Fans of the original will also appreciate the appearances of Tia Carrere, Amy Hill, and Jason Scott Lee, the three of whom having lent their voices to the original as Nani, Mrs. Hasagawa, and David respectively. Like with many of their live-action retellings, “Lilo & Stitch” sees a juggle in narrative focus when it comes to its side characters, with Nani undergoing a newly introduced dilemma, having passed up her dreams as a marine biologist in the wake of her guardianship of Lilo. This additional character development for Nani, and introduction of Amy Hill’s kind-hearted, elderly neighbour, Tutu, does come at the expense of a handful of characters however, with Nani’s love interest, David (Kaipo Dudoit), being largely sidelined, and the original’s antagonist Captain Gantu being removed entirely. While these shifts in focus may puzzle some die-hard fans, they are largely welcomed changes that avoid impacting the all-important theme of family, or “Ohana” at the movie’s core.
While I found “Lilo & Stitch” to be one of the stronger of the many live-action Disney remakes, I remain unsure if it adds enough to justify its existence. As much fun as I had whilst watching it, and am sure many will during its theatrical run, I remain perplexed as to why Disney continues to churn out these remakes, other than financial gain of course. Except for Jon Favreau‘s sensational adaptation of 1967’s “The Jungle Book”, I struggle to name another remake of Disney’s back catalogue that surpasses or even matches its original incarnation. While a handful of projects have attempted unique spins on their original IP, such as “Cruella” (2021) or “Maleficent” (2014), the remakes have largely retold familiar stories, but have failed to recapture the magic that only animation can provide.
Verdict:
Having been quietly confident that their latest live-action remake would be one of their strongest, I can confidently state that “Lilo & Stitch” successfully manages to recapture the original’s themes of familial forgiveness and inclusion, with the badly behaved titular characters proving to be more than a match for their animated counterparts. While the jury is still out on Disney’s intentions as they continue to give our childhood favourites the live-action treatment, “Lilo & Stitch” will go down as one of their most successful endeavours, despite not quite boasting that classic Disney magic.
Lilo & Stitch is now showing in UK Cinemas
Dan Loves Film 