With the creation of multiple live action remakes including “Snow White” and the “Little Mermaid”  in past years, Disney’s trend of adapting fan-favorite films has only continued with the May 23 release of the live action remake of “Lilo and Stitch,” directed by Dean Fleischer Camp and written by Chris Kekaniokalani. 

Originally created by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois in 2002, “Lilo and Stitch” follows a young girl, Lilo, who befriends an alien named Stitch who crash-lands on Earth, hoping to avoid being captured by creatures from his home galaxy. Despite being created as an experiment to destroy its surroundings, Stitch eventually finds a place among Lilo’s broken family, specifically after the death of her parents. The film touches on healing and acceptance as Lilo helps Stitch understand the meaning of Ohana, the Hawaiian concept of family. 

The live-action film stars Maia Kealoha (Lilo) alongside Sydney Agudong (Nani). Kealoha truly embodied Lilo, showcasing her determined yet eccentric personality, especially at such a young age. Agudong’s performance as Nani, Lilo’s older sister, made the film more emotional; her moments with Kealoha were heartwarming.

 The film also includes a few new characters, such as Tutu, played by Amy Hill, who is Lilo and Nani’s next-door neighbor. This version also had a different social worker, Mrs. Kekoa, played by Tia Carrere, who voiced Nani in the original film. The addition of Tutu worked in favor of the film, expanding the message to show that a family doesn’t have to be related by blood; Lilo and Nani relied on her through difficult times.

However, there were some changes to the plot that did not make the live action more enjoyable. The film excludes Captain Gantu, who was the main antagonist in the original film. Due to this change, Dr. Jumba, the scientist who created Stitch, was portrayed as the villain throughout. In the original movie, he was a nuanced character who was sent to capture Stitch but still redeemed himself by caring about Stitch in the end. In the live action, his character falls flat by making him into the cliche villain. 

While the film did take liberties with certain characters, the live-action still had the same emotional impact as the original movie. Lilo and Nani’s bond was portrayed well, especially during the scene where Nani sings a Hawaiian song to Lilo. Nani’s character was also more fleshed out, displaying that she had college aspirations and a passion for marine biology. 

Despite some changes to the plot, the live-action “Lilo and Stitch” still makes for a decent adaptation of the original film. Stitch in 3D is just as chaotic as before, as the portrayal of Lilo and Nani’s sister bond is strong and the film is nostalgic, especially since the animated version came out over 20 years ago. Even if it is clear that this film was made to tap into the existing fanbase of “Lilo and Stitch” and may be one of Disney’s cash grabs, the live-action is still worth watching. However, nothing beats the comedic and moving impact the original movie had. 

Rating 3/5

I would recommend that this film is worth checking out.