New 'Lilo & Stitch' falls short of first film's unhinged brilliance
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'Lilo & Stitch' trailer: Disney's furry alien goes live action
Newcomer Maia Kealoha stars as a Hawaiian girl who makes friends with a furry ball of alien mayhem in Disney's live-action "Lilo & Stitch."
If Disney were to replace Mickey Mouse as its mascot, the only choice that probably wouldn't cause a global riot is Stitch. That adorably furry mix of E.T., the Tasmanian Devil and a rambunctious puppy has become one of the most beloved animated characters in the company's iconic lineup.
So it's a little head-scratching why there's not more of the big-eared alien weirdo in the new live-action remake 'Lilo & Stitch' (★★½ out of four; rated PG; in theaters May 23). Director Dean Fleischer Camp's family adventure feels like an excessively earnest Disney Channel movie compared with the delightfully unhinged 2002 cartoon. That's great for those who want more of a human connection but not so much if you're more jazzed about Stitch wrecking a bunch of stuff.
The updated 'Lilo' pulls back on the sci-fi action to focus instead on the emotional story of two orphaned human siblings, though it begins the same as the first flick. Stitch (aka Experiment 626) is deemed too dangerous to exist by the United Galactic Federation, and escapes authorities in a flurry courtesy of a space police cruiser.
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He crash lands in Hawaii near the home of young Lilo (newcomer Maia Kealoha). She's a rebellious 6-year-old who gives her big sister/guardian Nani (Sydney Agudong) fits, and Nani is desperately trying to keep social services from taking Lilo away.
Lilo visits the local pound where she meets (and immediately falls for) Stitch, whom everyone assumes is a pooch even though he looks more like a blue koala bear. The sisters' lives get more fun and also more stressful as Stitch causes mayhem wherever he goes (from surfing and driving to some antics with a soda gun). Meanwhile, a couple of other aliens are dispatched to bring him back: his mad scientist inventor Jumba (Zach Galifianakis) and Earth-loving oddball Pleakley (Billy Magnussen).
The new 'Lilo & Stitch' takes a much more grounded approach to the plot, with some changes from the original movie. For example, the antagonistic alien brute Captain Gantu is left out. While the OG Jumba and Pleakley wore random clothing as a disguise, their updated counterparts use holograms to appear human – which just seems to be an excuse to include a couple of recognizable faces.
And Ving Rhames' tough-guy social worker Cobra Bubbles is essentially two characters in the remake: The new Cobra (Courtney B. Vance) is a CIA agent searching for Stitch, too, while Mrs. Kekoa (Tia Carrere) is the social worker concerned about Nani and Lilo's home life.
One aspect that's improved in the revamp is Lilo and Nani's relationship. Kealoha is precocious enough as the Elvis-loving Lilo, leaning more troublemaker than her animated self. And Agudong makes the most of Nani's character reinvention. (Rather than just trying to get a job, she has a whole subplot about going to college to study marine biology.)
There are some nifty nods to the first film. The casting of Carrere, who originally voiced Nani, is a nice touch. And Chris Sanders (who directed the animated version alongside Dean DeBlois) also returns to give voice to all Stitch's signature growls, snarls and yells.
That old 'Ohana means family' riff still hits right in the feels, though what this latest outing lacks most is the first film's electric charm. It's surprising considering that Camp crafted the sweetly bizarre 'Marcel the Shell With Shoes On' – this 'Stitch' settles on being a fine retread instead of a rabble-rousing romp.
Stitch, in his own peculiar way, sums it up perfectly: This 'Lilo & Stitch' is 'broken but still good.' Even if it's ultimately an unnecessary new take on a chaotic masterpiece.
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