Disney’s latest remake lands with genuine aloha spirit but stumbles whenever it tries to reinvent what was never broken. Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp and starring newcomer Maia Kealoha as Lilo alongside Sydney Agudong’s Nani, the film keeps the Hawaiian setting, Elvis tracks and much of the first act beat-for-beat before steering into new territory.
What still works
- The bond between Lilo and Stitch remains irresistible. Kealoha is a natural, and Chris Sanders slips back into Stitch’s chaotic squeaks without missing a note .
- Oʻahu on screen looks gorgeous, captured in warm daylight that celebrates local color even when the story forgets to comment on it.
- Family-friendly comedy lands for younger viewers. Physical gags with the “dog” still got the theater’s kids laughing out loud .
- Box-office muscle. Opening weekend numbers confirm strong audience appetite: $183 million domestically over Memorial Day, setting a holiday record for a PG title .
Where the experiment misfires
- Jumba is now the main villain. The change sidelines Pleakley’s odd-couple humor and completely deletes Gantu, draining the story of its original ensemble charm .
- Cobra Bubbles is defanged. Once a menacing Men-in-Black-style figure, he has been rewritten as a well-meaning social worker, erasing the tension that made Nani’s struggle hit hard.
- Tone shift toward trauma. The remake leans heavily into grief and social-services peril, often at the expense of the quirky whimsy fans remember .
- CGI only serviceable. Stitch looks fine, but Jumba and Pleakley spend large stretches disguised as humans, a clear cost-saving choice that robs the film of visual flair .
- Cultural commentary sanded down. Critics note that the original’s sly jabs at tourism and colonialism are replaced by postcard shots of resorts .
Verdict
For children unfamiliar with the 2002 classic, Lilo and Stitch 2025 is a lively science-fiction comedy about found family. For longtime fans, the sanitized update and character swaps feel like an unnecessary genetic rewrite. I enjoyed the heartfelt performances and island vibes but missed the biting humor and eccentric side characters that once made this story feel so different.
Score: 6 / 10 – the same score I gave it on the podcast, and one that has settled in my mind the more I think about the film’s missed opportunities .
Disney already hints at sequels, and if they use those to adapt the animated series’ parade of weird experiments, this remake might yet justify its existence . For now, it is pleasant but rarely stitches together the wild energy that made the original a classic.
gfpods.com 
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