Lilo & Stitch first hit the screens in 2002 and introduced the world to a cuddly blue alien who was cute one moment and dangerous the next. Since then, there has been a sequel, a television series, and a few video games. Stitch has become so iconic that seeing him in a live-action version raises some questions: Will he look good?  Will people love this new version, and will it give us the same feeling we had 23 years ago?

Friends, Disney has recaptured that magic and, with a few tweaks, given us an almost perfect version with their live-action Lilo & Stitch (2025). The difference between this version and the original animated version is that the live version gives us more insight into the lives of Nani (Sydney Agudong) and Lilo (Maia Kealoha). We get a better understanding of their relationship and how Nani is trying all she can to keep afloat since their parents have passed. We get the same mischievous Lilo but the stakes are a little higher as Protective Childcare Services are looking to take her away from Nani.

Again, the storyline follows the same beats, and we get to see how much Lilo longs to have a friend. The movie does not have some of the dark tones of the original one, but you do feel the pain that Lilo feels of not having any friends. While the scenes of Lilo and the mean girls from hula class has been shortened, we do get some interactions between them outside of the classroom once Stitch (voiced again by Chris Sanders) arrives. 

Speaking of Stitch, it is fantastic to see him as a “live” character. The interactions between him and Lilo are amazing to see. I will say that special effects have come a long way since Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, and we see it during the soda gun scene where they are both spraying each other with water. It looks so flawless that I can not wait for the behind-the-scenes footage to see how it was all done. Stitch feels like he was cut from the animated version and pasted onto this live-action movie. The animation on him is so spot on that you can not help but fall for him the first time you see him on the screen. I hope we will get to see him in other adventures later down the line. 

As stated before, there are some tweaks made for the sake of the movie. This time around Captain Gantu is not the main villain. In this iteration, Jumba (Zach Galifianakis) and Pleakley (hilariously played by Billy Magnussen) are still tracking down Stitch, and their tactics to capture him are pretty hilarious. While Gantu is not around, he is really not missed that much. Having him in this version might have made things a bit too busy. Just having Pleakley and Jumba was enough to keep the movie going and instill that sense of danger in the movie.  

Final Thought: Lilo & Stitch recaptures the magic of the original animated movie and adds a bit more heart to it. Maia Keoloha is Lilo and is a breath of fresh air on the screen. There are a few slow moments in the movie, but the humor and heart make up for it. Seeing some of the original voice actors in key roles is a great way to honor the original movie. This is the perfect family movie to see together!

Kid-Friendly: Lilo & Stitch is similar in tone to the animated version. Some moments that are a little violent are in the manner that Jumba and Pleakey try to capture Stitch.  

Violence: There is no violence in the movie just animated violence. If you have seen the animated version of the movie you will see similar scenarios in this movie. 

“Lilo & Stitch,” the wildly funny and touching story of a lonely Hawaiian girl and the fugitive alien who helps to mend her broken family, will open exclusively in theaters May 23, 2025. A live-action reimagining of Disney’s 2002 animated classic, “Lilo & Stitch” is directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, the Oscar®-nominated filmmaker behind the animated feature film “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On,” and stars Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Tia Carrere, Hannah Waddingham, Chris Sanders, with Courtney B. Vance, and Zach Galifianakis, and introducing Maia Kealoha. The screenplay is by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright and Mike Van Waes, and the film is produced by Jonathan Eirich, p.g.a. and Dan Lin, with Tom Peitzman, Ryan Halprin, Louie Provost, Thomas Schumacher serving as executive producers.