MPAA: PG.
Release Date: 05/23/25 [Cinemas]
Genre: Action. Adventure. Comedy. Drama. Family. Fantasy.

Studio: The Walt Disney Studios.

THE PREMISE:

"A lonely Hawaiian girl befriends a runaway alien, helping to mend her fragmented family." 

OUR MOVIE REVIEW:

The Walt Disney Studios has struck out so many times adapting its animated films to live-action ones that, at this point, a single success feels alien. But what happens when the studio tries to adapt its beloved source material about an actual alien? 

The new adaptation of Lilo & Stitch is the film in question. Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, it mirrors the original story by following a young misfit girl named Lilo as she crosses paths with a genetically engineered creature from outer space that she calls Stitch. Camp’s background in animation and editing is arguably the real star here as Stitch - and all of the other aliens - look exactly like they do in the original film. From the very opening of the film, you can tell that his vision for it was to make it look as close to the original as possible. There are even several visual cues he takes from the animated film die hard fans will swoon over. And Dan Romer’s revamped score is bound to take fans on a nostalgic “Hawaiian roller coaster ride” too!

As for the real stars, Maia Kealoha is perfectly cast as Lilo. She captures her innocence and awkwardness with such ease that you can’t help but adore her. Her chemistry with Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, who plays Nani, especially helps to sell the story. However, it’s Agudong’s ability to switch from sister to mother-figure at a moment’s notice that defines the dynamic. The audience always knows whenever the stakes are high because of which way Agudong’s demeanor swings. 

Even original writer-director Chris Sanders providing the voice of Stitch feels like it’s never been better. In the 23 years since the original, it actually feels like he’s developed an even clearer roadmap for the character’s psyche. And some more kudos for Kealoha: she’s such an effective actor that you would never believe that she only ever acted by a stand-in they use - or the fact that Sanders never once walked on set during filming.

While the rest of the cast helps create a colorful ensemble, there are a few actors whose individual performances are some of the film’s weakest links. The main one being Zach Galifianakis’ Dr. Jumba. Galifianakis, who is still enjoyable to watch, is woefully miscast. Having seen the archetype that Disney was going for, in hindsight you can’t help but wonder how much someone like Jack Black or even Paul Walter Hauser would have eaten up the role. Of the two new characters created specifically for this version of the story, Tia Carrere’s Mrs. Kekoa also felt forced. Although Cobra Bubbles is still in the story, Kekoa is Lilo’s real social worker. While her presence helps give Bubbles some additional screen time (and a side quest), you can’t help but feel like the two roles are redundant.

Now, Dean Fleischer Camp still manages to tell the overarching story commendably. However, it’s small changes like the addition of Mrs. Kekoa that strip away some of what made the original so charming. For example, early on in the film, Lilo’s speech about not wanting to feed her fish friend tuna is cut. And towards the end, Bubbles doesn’t have the line about how he saved Earth by tricking aliens into thinking mosquitoes are important animals. These moments in the original, while minor, help to better define our characters. Lilo’s line about tuna effectively establishes her as a smart, intuitive and compassionate girl. Bubbles’ brief exchange gives audiences a glimpse behind his tough demeanor and establishes how far he’s gone before to save humanity. 

There are bigger changes that arguably alter some of the film’s original messaging too. For example, Lilo and Nani have a very different happy ending in this version. Without giving too much away, the way their story ends is much more realistic. But at the same time, it feels ignorant to the fact that many families in similar circumstances may not be so lucky.

Make no mistake. Lilo & Stitch is not a bad movie. However, it’s certainly not Disney’s best live-action adaptation either. Despite Dean Fleisher Camp and company making a solid, soulful adaptation, it is plagued with odd creative choices that strip away elements which made the original so timeless and out-of-this-world in the first place.