Lilo & Stitch movie review: Another live-action remake that is a heartless cash grab masquerading as nostalgia

Hindustan Times

23-05-2025

Disney's obsession with turning its animated classics into live-action spectacles continues, and the latest to fall victim is Lilo & Stitch — a film that, perhaps more than most, never needed this treatment. In recent years, Disney has struggled to justify this remake crusade, with hits like The Jungle Book now rare exceptions. More often, we're left with flat imitations like Pinocchio or Mulan. Lilo & Stitch could have been the outlier — a remake that recaptured the chaos and charm of its source — but instead, it's a jumbled, soulless retread that makes you miss every watercolor frame of the 2002 original. The heart of the story remains, but the soul is gone. Director Dean Fleischer Camp tries to bring Stitch's antics into the real world, but the result is a noisy, emotionally flattened remake that never justifies its existence.
The film retells the story of Stitch (voiced once again by Chris Sanders), a chaotic, genetically engineered alien who escapes to Earth and lands in Hawaii. Mistaken for a dog, he's adopted by Lilo Pelekai (Maia Kealoha), a lonely, imaginative young girl being raised by her older sister Nani (Sydney Elizebeth Agudong) after the death of their parents. As Lilo struggles to find connection and Nani battles to keep child services at bay, Stitch's alien pursuers — Jumba (Zach Galifianakis) and Pleakley (Billy Magnussen) — come to Earth to retrieve him. The story explores themes of family, belonging, and acceptance, but this remake buries those beats under layers of CGI and rushed exposition.
To its credit, the remake is visually competent. Stitch's 3D design retains much of the original charm, with his oversized ears, gleaming eyes, and mischievous grin intact. Kids, especially those new to the franchise, may find him endlessly entertaining. The film also makes a commendable attempt to deepen the emotional bond between Lilo and Nani. Sydney Agudong brings a grounded frustration to Nani's character that makes her struggle feel more real, and Maia Kealoha shows genuine spark and vulnerability as Lilo.
There are also a few moments — borrowed directly from the original — that still manage to land. The message of 'Ohana means family' still tugs at the heartstrings, and the occasional flash of slapstick fun between the alien duo Jumba and Pleakley adds some comic relief. Cameos from Tia Carrere and Jason Scott Lee offer nostalgic nods for longtime fans.
But nostalgia is not enough to carry this film. The whimsical spontaneity of the original is replaced with a loud, hyperactive tone that leaves no room for warmth or subtlety. The original's leisurely pace and lush watercolor visuals gave it a dreamy, heartfelt quality — this remake trades that for rapid edits, busy action, and hollow spectacle. Scenes that once felt like living sketches now feel like shot-for-shot recreations drained of feeling.
Worse still is how poorly the live-action setting serves the story. Stitch's arrival on Earth feels rushed and incoherent, and the film's early space scenes are visually ugly — a reminder of how poor CGI can sabotage world-building. Despite the budget, many moments look unfinished or awkwardly staged. Fleischer Camp, whose Marcel the Shell with Shoes On was so full of gentle whimsy, seems completely out of his depth here. The emotional crescendos feel forced, and the new material adds little except extra runtime.
In trying to update a film beloved for its weirdness and warmth, Disney has produced something ironically safe, sterile, and synthetic. The original Lilo & Stitch was messy in the best way — an emotional, slightly chaotic ode to family and outsiders. This remake loses that in translation, becoming just another cog in Disney's IP machine.
Ultimately, this new Lilo & Stitch serves as a reminder of what made the original so special — and why some films are best left untouched. There's no shortage of energy in this remake, but it's pointed in the wrong direction. What was once a quirky, beautiful daydream now feels like a corporate box-ticker. Disney may find commercial success with this version, but creatively, it's a letdown — one that leaves audiences wishing for the watercolor skies of 2002.