Lilo & Stitch Review - Is It Worth It?

Lilo & Stitch is a new north-american movie that premiered in Brazilian theaters on May 22nd, 2025. It is the live action version of the original movie from 2002, which carries the same name. It was directed by Dean Fleischer Camp and produced by Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich for the Walt Disney Pictures studios. It was also starred by Maia Kealoha (Lilo Pelekai), Sydney Agudong (Nani Pelekai), Chris Sanders (Stitch), Tia Carrere (Mrs. Kekoa), Zach Galifianakis (Jumba Jookiba), Billy Magnussen (Pleakley), Kaipo Dudoit (David Kawena), and Courtney B. Vance (Cobra Bubbles).

Lilo, a lonely and excentric Hawaiian little girl, is dealing with the recent loss of her parents while her older sister, Nani, tries to raise her. Nani is actually trying really hard to take care of their house and Lilo, but their social worker, Mrs. Kekoa, is still keeping a close eye on their case.

Then, Lilo adopts an unusual "dog" from the animal shelter, who is actually Experiment 626, a genetically modified alien designed to be a weapon of destruction. Lilo names him Stitch. Stitch, with his chaotic, impulsive nature, then causes a series of problems.

However, after living with Lilo for some time as she teaches him about "ohana" (family), the Hawaiian concept of putting family first, Stitch changes and starts to learn what it feels to belong, love, and be loved.

Official Trailer

Lilo & Stitch (2002): The original movie that introduced the world of Lilo, Nani, Stitch, Jumba, & Pleakley.

Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch (2005): This was a direct-to-video sequel that is set just a bit after the original story and just before the animated series. It explores a "glitch" Stitch has, as its name suggests.

The Origin of Stitch (2005): This was a short film included in the "Lilo & Stitch 2" DVD. It was supposed to be a bridge between the sequel and "Stitch! The Movie".

Stitch! The Movie (2003): This was released as a pilot for the TV show. It centered around Jumba's other experiments, scattered throughout Earth.

Lilo & Stitch: The Series (2003-2006): This animated series ran for 65 episodes and continues the story of "Stitch! The Movie". Lilo & Stitch are on a mission to capture and rehabilitate Jumba's 625 other experiments.

Leroy & Stitch (2006): This was a television film that was supposed to be the official end to the original animated series. In this one, Stitch faces a new evil experiment.

Stitch! (2008-2011): This was a Japanese animated series set many years after "Leroy & Stitch". In this version, Lilo is already in college and Stitch meets a new friend, Yuna, in Japan. This series is considered in-canon.

Stitch & Ai (2017): This Chinese animated series is also set after "Leroy & Stitch", but in an alternative timeline. In this one, Stitch meets a new friend called Ai in Huangshan, China.

The live action version tries to keep the same essence as the original animated movie, but it is notably different, as the writers had to adapt it into 2025 and into a new format.

No Captain Gantu and what happened to Jumba:

2002: Captain Gantu is the main antagonist, an alien sent to capture Stitch. Jumba, Stitch's creator and initially a "villain" himself, eventually becomes part of Lilo and Nani's family.

2025: Captain Gantu is not in the live action version. Instead, the movie focuses more on Jumba. He is the main antagonist who is trying to recapture Stitch.

Cobra Bubbles and the social worker:

2002: Cobra Bubbles is the social worker in charge of Lilo and Nani, and it is revealed to the public later on that he was a CIA agent in the past.

2025: Cobra Bubbles' part was split into two different characters. Mrs. Kekoa is now the social worker, and Bubbles is just a secret agent.

Jumba and Pleakley's disguises:

2002: Jumba and Pleakley use exaggerated alien disguises to blend in on Earth. Pleakley even uses feminine clothes to pass as an "aunt".

2025: The dynamic duo uses a device that turns them into humans. This makes the story less visually engaging, not to mention it omits Pleakley's hilarious disguise.

Nani has more space:

2002: Nani is mostly shown battling for Lilo's custody, and her personal life is barely shown on screen.

2025: The live-action explores Nani's story quite heavily, and even shows us she wants to be a marine biologist. However, she needs to balance her dreams with the responsibility involved in taking care of Lilo after their parents died. The movie explores how the death of their parents affects them, and how Nani's choice impacts both of their futures.

Lilo and Nani's loss is shown a bit more:

2002: We know that their parents died, but that's about it. Lilo mentions her parents died in a car crash caused by bad weather.

2025: The live-action shows us more details about their deaths, including more pictures. It makes grief a central element in the story.

New character: The live-action introduces Tutu, David's grandmother, and also Lilo and Nani's neighbor. She gives a lot of support to these two sisters.

Live-actions or remakes aren't exactly well-received by most of the public. We never know what to expect and how the moviemakers will reintroduce some stories - either keeping the essence of the old versions or adding too many new elements. However, we can't really say this Lilo & Stitch live action is a bad movie.

It managed to keep the magic of the 2002 animated movie masterfully. Some elements were changed and softened to fit the new format, but all of this was particularly well-done. I actually really enjoyed seeing more of the sisters' relationship, and how they both approach grief. I also enjoyed seeing Stitch bring them together, and all of them getting through it. Stitch's VFX was actually quite good. This was one of the things I was afraid of, but it was actually quite faithful to the original design, perhaps even cuter.

The story became a bit more dramatic, but it is still funny and lighthearted. The overall lesson still features the deep love between family and communities.

This movie has been praised for how faithful it is to the original animation. Many critics and spectators say it managed to capture the "soul", the emotion, and the deep connections of the original one, particularly when it comes to "ohana" (family). It was often described as "one of the best Disney live-actions" to date because it kept the spirit of the original animation, albeit through a modern lens.

Rotten Tomatoes: 69% approval rate in 172 critic reviews, and 93% approval rate in over 5,000 public reviews.

IMDB: 7/10 in 18,000 reviews.

Letterboxd: 3,2/5 stars in 144,000 reviews.

CinemaScore gave it an A.

This live-action adapted the original storyline nearly perfectly. It shows us Stitch interacting with the real world, the close relationship between Lilo and Nani, and brings back Ohana. Besides entertaining, this movie is very inspiring. Maia Kealoha also captured the essence of the adorable Lilo very well.

If you're a Lilo & Stitch fan, and are curious to know how such a beloved story does in the live-action format, then this movie is for you. It is an opportunity to see iconic characters another time, and follow a familiar storyline in a new font.

Get your family and go watch this beautiful, sensitive, fun movie.

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Thank you for reading, and see you next time!