The year 2025 saw the release of the live action Lilo and Stitch. Disney poured their expectations, nostalgia, and desire to reimagine their animated classics. While the movie is visually appealing and absolutely heartfelt, critics, as well as audience members, find themselves split on its execution.
Story and Themes
Core to the story is family, in this case an unusually intertwined one. Set in Hawaii, the film follows a young girl named Lilo along with her older sister Nani, who is struggling to make ends meet. Things get even messier with Stitch – the alien experiment. He adds chaos, but also manages to heal their broken home. The film captures grief, belonging, unconditional love – something Hawaiian people refer to as “ohana,” meaning family with a promise that no one gets left behind.
The live-action adaptation is set to retain the emotional blueprint of the original. With Raquel Lilo as newcomer Maia Kealoha, who is an outcast navigating through challenges of fitting in. Also starring Sydney Agudong as Nani, her relationship with Lilo is filled with authentic and deeply chaotic sibling caretaking struggles. The arrival of the chaos agent manages to turn their world upside down.
Characterization and performance
Maia Kealoha has been receiving praise for her portrayal of Lilo, which many people believe fails to capture the heart of the film. Chris Sanders reprises his role as the voice of Stitch, embodying all of the character’s lovable, mischievous qualities. The highlight in the chemistry of Lilo and Stitch is how the two bond and carry the emotional weight throughout the story.
Though, some critics argue that there is an imbalance in the casting and character design. Lilo’s wildness – one of her character’s most striking features in the original – is toned down in this rendition of the movie, which causes her to come off as more reserved rather than chaotic. The supporting characters also contribute to this issue, such as Zach Galifianakis as Jumba and Billy Magnussen as Pleakley, who rely heavily on physical comedy and are ultimately trapped in human form, stripping them of their alien eccentricity.
Visuals and Tone
Perhaps the most defining difference is the shift in the original’s animation style from vibrant, watercolor animation to the more grounded live-action aesthetic. While the Hawaiian setting continues to be picturesque, like in the 2002 film, the spatial architecture is changed to give off a look that some reviewers argue resembles a Disney Channel production. Although the CGI Stitch retains much of his expressiveness, some argue that he embodies too little of the endearing, cartoonish essence the character had in the original animations.
Because of this, the tone also leans more towards a younger audience, as fast-paced slapstick humor takes over a large chunk of the film.
This theory loses some of the calming charm and the emotional impact of the original, earning the reproach that the remake comes across as more amplified and engineered in design, devoid of the spontaneous wonder of the original.
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Critical Reception
The remake has received mixed reactions: Many commend the movie for its heart as well as its emphasis on empathy, as well as its appropriateness for a family-friendly summer blockbuster.
Others consider it to be a borderline mindless, if not devoid of spirit, exercise in retroactive fan-service, arguing that the original’s magic is lost in translation. The dynamic between Lilo and Stitch as well as the film’s focus on family, continues to be its strongest selling point.
“Disney’s relentless effort at remakes has resulted in Lilo & Stitch, which, despite having some disjointed plotting and a clunky last act, sits atop the most successful live-action adaptation by Disney to date.”
— Eric Goldman, IGN Movies
“Loud, unimaginative, and poorly entertaining is the best way to describe this new iteration of Lilo & Stitch. The 2002 animated Disney classic is nothing short of spectacular. This live-action retake comes across as a shrill and heartless replica.”
— Vulture
Conclusion
The 2025 reboot of Lilo & Stitch aims to retell the story at hand. In doing so, it seeks to convey the themes of acceptance and love to a younger audience while maintaining a gentle nostalgic touch and spirit.
Not all of Disney’s past captures the imagination as depicted in the new fantasy adaptation, however, out of all the updates made to classic films, this is Disney’s most sincere attempt at a live-action feature. It may not be perfect, but there is effort put into this scenario. For supporters hunting for warm reminiscence, this makes things feel positive, even if they seem repetitive.
Writer : Pranjal Bapna