Lilo & Stitch (2025) Review: A Tender But Still Unnecessary Remake

by Tom May 20, 2025

Disney’s latest venture into its animation vault brings Lilo & Stitch to life in live action, or at least as close to “live” as a CGI alien wreaking havoc in Hawaii can get. Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On), the 2025 remake manages to capture much of the heart and spirit of the original 2002 film. It offers tender performances, lush visuals, and a faithful retelling of the story about grief, belonging, and the messiness of love. Yet for all its emotional sincerity, it cannot quite escape the question that looms over it from the start: why remake a movie that was already nearly perfect?

Lilo & Stitch (2025) Review: A Tender But Still Unnecessary Remake

The story remains largely the same. Lilo is a lonely young girl on the island of Kauai, struggling to fit in and find connection after the death of her parents. She lives with her older sister Nani, who is barely keeping their small household afloat. Into their turbulent life crashes Experiment 626, a chaotic and destructive alien fugitive who ends up becoming Lilo’s pet and best friend. Renamed Stitch, the creature is pursued by Galactic Federation agents and social workers alike, but slowly comes to understand the meaning of family, err… ohana, and changes in ways no one expected.

Maia Kealoha delivers a lovely and grounded performance as Lilo, bringing depth and naturalism to a character who could easily have felt too quirky or precocious in the wrong hands. Her chemistry with Sydney Agudong, who plays Nani, gives the film its emotional center. Agudong especially shines in scenes of quiet frustration, where Nani juggles jobs, responsibilities, and the fear of losing her sister. These are the moments where the live-action format feels most earned, giving weight to the domestic tension that made the original so poignant.

As for Stitch, voiced once again by Chris Sanders, he remains the snarling, chattering, oddly lovable menace we remember. The CGI rendering of the character mostly works, though there are times when he veers into uncanny territory. His fur is textured, his eyes expressive, and his movements retain the animated chaos fans expect. He looks different than the cartoon version, of course, but he still behaves like a creature halfway between a gremlin and a toddler on espresso.

The film’s visuals are often stunning. Hawaii is shot with care, avoiding the overly glossy tourism sheen that might have plagued a lesser adaptation. The natural beauty of the islands adds a timeless backdrop to the film’s themes of identity and connection. The color palette is rich and warm, and the lighting gives even quieter moments a cinematic softness.

Where the film falters most is in its sense of necessity. Lilo & Stitch was never crying out for a live-action version, and the original’s charm came in part from its hand-drawn, slightly offbeat animation. That version had a scrappy, small-scale vibe compared to Disney’s bigger, more fantastical stories. The remake, while intimate in tone, occasionally pads its runtime with unnecessary action beats and a slightly more dramatic sci-fi subplot that detracts from the tight focus of the original.

The tone also feels slightly heavier. While there are still moments of levity, like Stitch rampaging through the house or discovering Elvis Presley, there is a somberness to the remake that was more subtly woven into the original. Some of the humor feels flattened by the need for realism, and the pacing occasionally drags in the middle as it juggles social services visits and alien politics.

Still, there is no denying the care put into the film. The music, a blend of original Elvis tracks and a new score by Mark Mothersbaugh, supports the emotional beats well. The script preserves many of the original’s best lines and themes, and Tony-winner Courtney B. Vance adds gravitas in a supporting role as Cobra Bubbles.

The live-action Lilo & Stitch is a heartfelt and competent remake that succeeds more often than not, thanks to strong performances, respectful direction, and a clear affection for the source material. For new audiences, especially young viewers unfamiliar with the 2002 classic, it will land as a moving and occasionally magical experience. For longtime fans, it may feel like a polished echo of something that did not need updating. In the end, it reminds us why the original was so special, even if it does not fully justify its own existence.