If there’s one live-action remake from Disney that’s a “must-see”, it’s Lilo & Stitch. Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, the Oscar®-nominated filmmaker behind the animated film Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, the film follows a pair of struggling sisters trying to survive in Hawaii. Lilo (Maia Kealoha) and her older sister Nani (Sydney Agudong) have lost their parents and are struggling to piece together what has been broken. Before long, a social worker (Tia Carrere) visits their disheveled home and sets a deadline for Nani to turn things around. If Nani can’t rectify their living situation and improve Lilo’s environment in one week, they risk being separated.
The success of the 2002 animated film spurred a spin-off TV series on the Disney Channel and a handful of direct-to-video movies. The animated series was highly successful and ran 65 episodes from 2003 to 2006. The popularity of the adorable duo is incomparable, so if a live-action remake were to be made, they would have to get it right… (long exhale) And they did.
Maia Kealoha was the perfect casting for Lilo. If it wasn’t her nuclear level of cuteness that held your attention, it was her extreme level of curiosity that mirrored her animated counterpart to the T. It was extremely important to get the casting right for Lilo, not just because she’s a principal character, but because of the massive fanbase behind the franchise. Casting blips are bound to happen, but Disney had to get it right for such a popular film that nobody begged them to remake. It was great to see Tia Carrere involved in the film since she was the original voice of Nani from 2002. Her move to “social worker” and Amy Hill’s to “neighbor” (since their voices were used in the original) worked out fine, and fans will be happy to see that they’re still involved.
Where I start to scratch my head a bit is at a few of the other characters. Because of the popularity of the show/films, there aren’t any “minor” characters. Kaipo Dudoit did a good job with some of David’s habits and he looked pretty similar, but the writing wasn’t sufficient for his character. The issue with Pleakly (Billy Magnussen) was that we didn’t see enough of him. When we did see him, he was a cloned human. Tutu (Amy Hill) and Cobra Bubbles (Courtney B. Vance) were both excellent and added to the film’s magic. The only odd casting was Jumba. Zach Galifianakis is a funny actor, but was stale as Jumba, whose noted genius and Russian-like accent hold equal importance to his character.
Naturally, the best character of them all was Stitch, voiced by Chris Sanders, who co-wrote and co-directed the 2002 original film. Our six-legged alien friend was a carbon copy of the “626” (his experiment name and nickname) we all know and love. Every scene he was in was the best scene. Interestingly enough, parents who have young children who frighten easily might want to take caution with the film. Jumba’s look is a bit off (the many pairs of eyes look weird), and the way Stitch has been enhanced might seem startling. Other cast members include Hannah Waddingham, Celia Kenney, Jason Scott Lee (who voiced David in the original), and Courtney Coleman.
There were some subtle and noticeable changes made to the film, but at the end of the day, it was still magical. The soundtrack, the humor, and the importance of family are all major points that were conveyed accurately.
Lilo & Stitch gets a 9 out of 10. Even with a handful of changes here and there, it’s still a fun experience. There’s plenty of family-friendly comedy to go around, and it’s definitely worth seeing opening weekend. Whether it’s nosy neighbors on four-wheelers or adorable aliens that thirst for vaporizing planets, this film has offerings for everyone.
Lilo & Stitch will premiere in theaters on May 23.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Courtesy of Disney
Genre: Family, Sci-Fi
Rating: PG
Runtime: 1 hr 48 mins
Trailer: Watch
U.S. Release Date: May 23, 2025