Reel Review: The Lilo and Stitch Remake Will Leave Grown Adults Ugly Crying In Theaters
Disney’s latest live-action remake is breaking hearts worldwide, grown adult’s hearts to be specific. Lilo and Stitch was a joyous Hawaiian rollercoaster ride from start to finish, with a few emotional bumps along the way.
The remake does a fantastic job at tugging on your heartstrings just like the original tale did. I’d personally like to thank the director for leaving the “Ugly Duckling” scene out of this iteration, because if I had to relive that again, I think I would’ve died in the theater. While some fans aren’t happy with secondary characters being left out (rest in peace Gantu), key storyline changes, and overall creative choices, I loved this film for what it is: a story about ohana and acceptance.
The casting for this film was overall fantastic. Maia Kealoha was the perfect casting for Lilo. I just wanted to give her a hug when the mean girls bullied her. She captured Lilo’s sweet tenderheartedness while simultaneously portraying her iconic sass. The relationship between Lilo and Nani was at the forefront of the story, with Sydney Agudong’s portrayal of Nani perfectly blending with Kealoha’s Lilo. A lot of fans are upset with Nani’s decision to go to college, but I loved that added storyline. Nani gave up her entire future to protect and care for Lilo, and her going to college to better herself will help her and Lilo in the longrun. She deserved her own happy ending and I loved the inclusion of her getting to follow her dreams.
Pleakley and Jumba are huge characters in the film, especially in the cartoon. I wasn’t the biggest fan of making Jumba an outright villain. In the original cartoon, Jumba and Pleakley both remain on Earth and embrace Stitch’s family. I wish that part hadn’t changed, but maybe that could be explored in a sequel if we’re lucky. However, Billy Magnussen had me laughing out loud throughout the entire film.
Chris Sanders reprised his role as Stitch. Being the original voice of the little blue alien and returning to play him again made my heart so happy. I only wish Stitch had more moments to shine in the film! Don’t get me wrong, he was at the forefront of the story the whole time, but I just love that little guy so much! Can we get an extended cut where it’s just Lilo and Stitch getting into hijinks?
While there were some key changes to the story, the message remained the same. Ohana is worth fighting for. Stitch found his family, and it’s beautiful to watch his heart melt and learn how to love. Lilo and Stitch perfectly captures the feeling of unconditional love, family, friendship, and accepting everyone for who they are. If you want to feel like a little kid again and believe in magic, go see Lilo and Stitch.
Lilo and Stitch is now in theaters worldwide.
