While the bar was not exactly set very high, Lilo & Stitch (2025) soars past it to become the best Disney live-action remake yet.
Lilo & Stitch is one of my favorite animated films of all time. Something about the story of Ohana and the connection between Lilo, Stitch, and Nani has always stuck with me. So to say I was cautiously optimistic about the live-action remake is a bit of an understatement. I was terrified that something that means so much to me was going to be ruined. Thankfully, it wasn’t – even with the changes they imposed.
Get ready to fall in love all over again with Stitch, because the CG version of this crazy alien is going to capture your heart. He is adorable. They did a wonderful job capturing his mannerisms and his love for destruction. It doesn’t hurt that he is voiced once again by Chris Sanders.
Lilo & Stitch Have An Unforgettable Bond
This movie simply does not work without the instant bond that Lilo and Stitch have. The live-action version does a wonderful job of bringing that heartwarming friendship to the screen once again – which is largely in part because of the insanely talented Maia Kealoha. She is the perfect Lilo.
Kealoha portrays Lilo brilliantly. She is a bit off the walls, seemingly always wound up on sugar, and absolutely hilarious. The way that this young actress delivers the comedic relief, you would think she has been a comedian for years and years. She is phenomenal and easily the star of the show. Alongside Stitch of course.
Pleakley Outshines Jumba On All Levels
One of the changes that was made is that Pleakley and Jumba have a device that allows them to look like humans while on Earth. This was probably done to save Disney money, but it honestly makes a whole lot more sense than thinking humans would just ignore aliens in clothing and think they are other humans.
While Billy Magnussen perfectly embodies Pleakley and his excitement to be on Earth, Zach Galifianakis’ performance left me wanting more. I know what they were trying to do with him, especially because Captain Gantu is nowhere to be seen in this film, but so much of his one-liners did not work for me. It is unfortunate because I love him and always find him to be hilarious. In this case, he was vastly overshadowed by Pleakley – however, that might just be in the nature of the writing and the story that is being told.
The CG Is Extremelly Impressive
When it comes to the CG and the look of the aliens in Lilo & Stitch (2025), I have to admit, I was extremely impressed. The Grand Councilwoman looks so much like her animated counterpart, I was blown away. She is flawless, and while she is not in the movie a lot, Hannah Waddingham delivers a powerful, snarky, and incredible voice performance when she is.
Of course, Pleakley and Jumba look great as well, but once again, they are not often on screen in their alien form. Stitch is in nearly every scene, however, and he looks adorable. He is cute and fluffy, as he should be.
I Understand Why, But They Didn’t Need To Change The Ending
The family aspect is the most important part of Lilo & Stitch, there is no doubt about that. That messaging is still there, which shines through due to the unforgettable chemistry between Sydney Agudong’s Nani and Maia Kealoha’s Lilo. They are believable as sisters, which provides a lot of the moments that will tug on your heartstrings and make you tear up.
All of this to say, there is one part of Lilo & Stitch (2025) that really bothered me, and that is the ending. They changed the ending from the animated film slightly, but because of that, one of my favorite lines was removed from the movie. While I understand what they were going for here, and the themes of not leaving yourself behind, it just doesn’t hit as hard.
This might be Disney’s best live-action remake so far, but it isn’t perfect. It has its flaws. That said, Stitch will always win me over with his mischievous behaviour and adorable face.
Lilo & Stitch comes to theaters on May 23.
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“Lilo & Stitch” is the wildly funny and touching story of a lonely Hawaiian girl and the fugitive alien who helps to mend her broken family. The film is directed by award-winning filmmaker Dean Fleischer Camp, with a screenplay by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright and Mike Van Waes, and stars Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Tia Carrere, Hannah Waddingham, Chris Sanders, with Courtney B. Vance, and Zach Galifianakis, and introducing Maia Kealoha. “Lilo & Stitch” is produced by Jonathan Eirich, p.g.a. and Dan Lin, with Tom Peitzman, Ryan Halprin, Louie Provost, Thomas Schumacher serving as executive producers.
Lilo & Stitch (2025) comes to theaters May 23.
While the bar was not exactly set very high, Lilo & Stitch (2025) soars past it to become the best Disney live-action remake yet.
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Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.