It has been 23 years since Disney’s animated film Lilo & Stitch premiered. And though what was considered cultural appropriation was different back then, the film was a bit ahead of its time by casting a few Asian or Pacific Islander voices for the main humans (except for Daveigh Chase as Lilo).
With the film’s setting being Hawaii, the creatives did what they could to keep it authentic as an animation could in 2002 by conducting a research trip and keeping the importance of “ohana” as accurate as possible. There were songs written by Mark Keali’i Ho’omalu and the film’s composer, Alan Silvestri, along with performances by Ho’omalu and the Kamehameha Schools Children’s Chorus.
Now, the live-action version had the opportunity to take it a step further to bring the beauty and culture of Hawaii to life on the big screen through this beloved story — and it does so beautifully. Lilo & Stitch (2025) captures the heart and the nostalgia that made the original a classic. You don’t need to have seen the original film to fall in love with this tale.
Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, and adapted by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright, Mike Van Waes, and original writer Dean DeBlois, Lilo & Stitch is an adapted retelling of the story of a lonely Hawaiian girl named Lilo (Maia Kealoha) and her friendship with a deranged escaped alien experiment, posing as dog, named Stitch (voiced by Chris Sanders, who returns from the original). Together, they discover what it means to be good and the meaning of found family. They are also chased by Stitch’s scientist creator, Dr. Jumba Jookiba (Zach Galifianakis), and Earth expert, Agent Pleakley (Billy Magnussen).
The story isn’t an exact copy of the animated film, but it does have exact frame-by-frame moments that play as Easter Eggs. The added tweaks give the characters more depth, particularly Lilo and Nani’s (Sydney Agudong) touching sisterly bond. In the true spirit of Hawaiian communities, Nani and Lilo also have their neighbors Tūtū (Amy Hill) and David (Kaipo Dudoit) to rely on. ‘Ohana’ doesn’t just mean blood family; it means everyone considered family.
Many of the changes work, particularly Nani’s sacrifices as part of her responsibilities, “kuleana,” to care for Lilo. Nani — and many others in similar situations — is given agency over her life. She is more than just Lilo’s caretaker here. She had dreams and aspirations before setting them aside for her sister. Agudong shines as Nani, giving the once one-dimensional character more layers to peel back.
There’s also an accurate depiction of social workers and their attempts to secure the child’s well-being (though, in reality, they are extremely overworked and underfunded). Tia Carrere (who voiced Nani in the original) is a nice added touch as Mrs. Kekoa, the caring social worker. She and Jason Scott Lee (the original voice of David) are wonderful Easter eggs.
The true heart of the story lies in Kealoha’s performance. She is a star who steals every scene she is in. She effortlessly captures the embodiment of the character, giving Lilo so much humor, substance, and love. It’s surprising that someone of that age in their feature debut brings so much charisma onscreen, but Kealoha absolutely nails it. The only unbelievable thing about Kealoha’s Lilo is how she could ever be unpopular among the kids her age.
Though Lilo & Stitch is the film’s title, Lilo’s relationship with Nani generates the most emotions in the story. It helps that she has such great chemistry with Agudong, making it believable that they are loving sisters who are often annoyed with each other.
The live-action elements mixed with CGI are done well throughout the film. It feels real and natural for Stitch to interact with the actors and sets, including riding along in the toy car with Lilo. The details on Stitch, Jumba, and Pleakley are so realistic, down to the individual fur hairs on Stitch’s back, to Pleakley’s gelatin-like fingers as he touches a human’s arm to obtain their DNA for their disguise. It felt as if Stitch and the many alien characters had come to life, including the very popular sea animal, the axolotl-looking alien agent, who is overly excited about Earth’s potential destruction.
Though there are so many positives regarding the added story layers, casting, animation, and humor, the film isn’t perfect. With the necessary changes to keep the story from being exactly like the animated movie, the redemption of Jumba was removed, which meant his partnership with Pleakley was also affected. This change wouldn’t affect the story for those unaware of the source material. But those who grew up watching the animated film and its subsequent sequels/series may feel a bit empty losing the Jumba-Pleakley relationship. Galifianakis and Magnussen are hilarious as Jumba and Pleakley, who attempt to navigate themselves among the humans. It’s a lot of physical comedy, but the duo are experts in these elements. It’s just disappointing not to have that friendship continue through the end.
Overall, Lilo & Stitch is a beautiful live-action adaptation that carries the sweet heart and soul of the original but gives the characters more authenticity and dimension. Stitch and Lilo’s growing love for each other is touching, as they both learn what it means to be a family. Stitch, created to destroy, realizes he’s not innately bad. “Sometimes, family isn’t perfect. That doesn’t mean they aren’t good” – a lesson we all can learn.
Disney’s Lilo & Stitch premieres on May 23 in theaters everywhere.
