Lilo & Stitch (2025)

The original Lilo & Stitch, released by Walt Disney Pictures in 2002, arrived at an interesting moment for the studio. Hand-drawn animation was beginning to lose its commercial footing, yet the film, written and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, became one of Disney's bigger hits of that era, earning genuine affection for its offbeat humour, its setting on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, and its unusually raw portrayal of grief and fractured family life. It was the sort of Disney film that felt a little rougher around the edges than its contemporaries, and audiences loved it for precisely that reason. The concept of ohana, the Hawaiian idea of family as something that extends beyond blood, sat at the film's emotional core and gave it a resonance that has kept it in people's hearts ever since. A live-action remake, then, was perhaps inevitable, given Disney's sustained programme of revisiting its animated catalogue.

That remake arrives in 2025, running at 108 minutes and produced by Walt Disney Pictures alongside Rideback. The director's chair was handed to Dean Fleischer Camp, a choice that raised a few eyebrows but also a few hopeful ones. Fleischer Camp's previous feature, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, demonstrated a real facility for finding emotional truth and gentle comedy in unusual, slightly absurdist material, which is arguably exactly the skill set this particular story demands. He brings with him, in a neat piece of casting, Chris Sanders himself, the co-creator of the original film, who voiced Stitch in 2002 and reprises that role here. The cast is rounded out by newcomer Maia Kealoha in the lead role, Sydney Agudong as Nani, along with Zach Galifianakis and Billy Magnussen in supporting parts. Galifianakis, reliably watchable in comic roles, and Magnussen, polished but unremarkable in much of his Hollywood work, both find themselves in material that asks something a little warmer of them than their usual fare.

The decision to shoot on location, leaning into the physical landscape of Hawaii rather than relying on studio backlots or digital backgrounds, signals at least an intent to take the source material seriously. There has been considerable discussion around the production's engagement with Hawaiian culture and language, a conversation that surrounds a good number of Hollywood films set outside the continental United States, and one that speaks to broader questions about how family films, particularly those aimed at younger audiences, handle cultural specificity. For a film that places the concept of family front and centre, those questions are worth asking. Whether the film answers them to everyone's satisfaction is, of course, another matter, and one that Macca gets into below. As family science fiction comedies go, the 108-minute runtime suggests a film that has kept things relatively brisk, avoiding the bloated third acts that have hampered other family films he has covered on this site.

Let’s be honest, going into a live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch, you brace for the worst. Another soulless cash-in, CGI Stitch looking uncanny, the heart replaced by spectacle. But surprisingly, this one isn’t half bad. It’s not the original but it’s a respectful, often sincere attempt to translate that odd, melancholy charm to a new format. For a Disney remake, that counts for a lot. The film keeps the core intact: two misfits, a little girl from Kauai and a chaotic alien experiment, finding family in each other. The Hawaiian setting is beautifully captured, with lush greens, golden beaches, and a real effort to include local culture and language. Tiana Stewart as Lilo is a standout. Natural, feisty, and genuinely moving in the quieter moments. Her bond with Stitch, while inevitably leaning more on CGI than the original’s hand-drawn expressiveness, still has warmth. The design of Stitch is a mixed bag (too glossy at times) but his physical comedy and chaotic energy survive the translation. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, and it treads carefully where the original was bold. Some of the sharper edges (the raw grief, the critique of bureaucracy) are softened, and the third act leans a little too hard on generic action. But the spirit of ‘ohana (family, no one left behind) still lands. There are even a few new moments that work: a scene with Nani and social services feels more grounded, and the score weaves in Hawaiian music beautifully. It’s not essential. It doesn’t surpass or even match the original’s quiet magic. But as far as live-action remakes go this one actually cares. It’s pretty good, tbh. Not a triumph, not a disaster, just a solid, heartfelt effort that earns its place as a decent companion piece.

What I keep coming back to, a few days after watching it, is that faint surprise at finding myself not annoyed. With so many of these remakes, the overriding feeling on the way home is a mild irritation at having your memories gently smudged. This one didn't do that, and for a Disney live-action remake in 2025, that feels like a genuine achievement worth acknowledging. If anything, it sent me back to the original with fresh eyes, which is probably the best thing any companion piece can do. It won't replace the film you grew up with, and it isn't trying to. Sometimes decent and heartfelt is enough.

Rating: ★★★  | Year: 2025  | Watched: 2025-08-09

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Trailer

▶ Watch the official trailer for Lilo & Stitch (2025) on YouTube

Where to watch

Watch in the UK
Stream: Disney Plus
Rent: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Sky Store
Buy: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Sky Store
Physical: Amazon UK · Zavvi

Watch in the US
Stream: Disney Plus
Rent: Amazon Video · Apple TV Store · Google Play Movies · YouTube
Buy: Amazon Video · Apple TV Store · Google Play Movies · YouTube
Physical: Amazon US

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Related on Movies With Macca

More from Dean Fleischer Camp: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2021)
More from the 2020s: Mononoke the Movie: The Phantom in the Rain (2024) · Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage (2025) · The Long Walk (2025) · Americana (2023)
More family: Alice in Wonderland (1951) · Wonder (2017) · Kirikou and the Wild Beasts (2005) · Anastasia (1997)
More science fiction: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) · Fantastic Planet (1973) · Nightmare City (1980) · The Long Walk (2025)