Lilo & Stich (2025)

Lilo & Stitch continues Disney’s ongoing mission to take their animated classics and turn them into live action versions and after the disaster of Snow White, Disney needed Lilo & Stitch. I must confess that I haven't seen the 2002 animated original so I wont be able to compare that to this new version. The set up is that Stitch (aka 626) manages to escape to earth and befriends Lilo (Maia Kealhoa) who lives with her sister Nani (Sydney Agudong) after their parents died (classic Disney) and she has a social worker (Tia Carrere) trying to help her get on her feet. Meanwhile Jumba (Zach Galifianakis) and Pleakley (Billy Magnussen) are tasked with tracking Stitch/626 down. 

The film works because of Maia Kealoha. Bearing in mind that she is only nine years old she has a personality of someone several years older. There is a cheeky chappy style to her performance in the early stages and the relationship between Lilo & Stitch is lovely to see. Sydney Agudong has a tough role because she has to sort of just be there to interact with Lilo. To be fair their relationship whilst not the best at the start does become heartwarming by the end of the film. Galifianakis and Magnussen are fine as the comedy duo that is the staple of every Disney film but it worked in the context of this film. Courtney B. Vance is very good as the brilliantly named Cobra Bubbles although his sudden change of heart did seem a bit odd to this grown up trying to pick holes in a film aimed at kids. He’s not terrible by any means but you could probably have cut his part out. Amy Hill almost stole the show as the neighbour Tutu. She was funny when she needed to be and was loyal and reliable towards the end. The fact that she ends up being the foster parent of Lilo would normally come across as eye rolling plot contrivance but in this film it worked and I went along with it. 

I will admit that I did find the moment where Stitch is on the seafloor and there is a chance he could die quite emotional. It shows how much the film was working that I even had that reaction.

It is worth pointing out that bearing in mind I saw this 3 and a half weeks after it was released in the UK and it was around lunchtime on a Saturday, there was a decent number of people in it. Another thing worth pointing out is that the children were very well behaved. I have been in screenings where adults have made more noise so it was nice to see them paying attention and respect to the film.

Considering that this film was not aimed at a 42 bloke, I really enjoyed Lilo & Stitch. All the negative things that I have pointed out are classic nitpicking things. It is a film aimed at kids and it certainly worked. Still don't know what they have changed compared to the original but this shows the people involved with making Snow White that this is how you make a fun and enjoyable remake.