Lilo y Stitch

Let's start with this: the original 'Lilo & Stitch' is one of my favourite cartoons ever. It's pure magic - quirky, heartfelt, and beautifully weird in that way only early 2000s Disney could get away with. So when I heard there was a live-action remake in the works, I had cautious hope. But after sitting through this 2025 adaptation... I wish I'd never seen it.

This remake is not nearly as good as the original. In fact, it barely feels like it's trying to be. Iconic moments have been cut or warped beyond recognition - smoothed over into something bland and safe. And don't get me started on Stitch himself - still voiced by Chris Sanders, yes, but it feels hollow without the wild energy that made him so lovable.

Some of the changes just make no sense. Characters are tweaked in ways that add nothing, and the emotional heart of the story - Lilo's grief, her loneliness, her oddball charm - has been neutered. The film is both rushed AND drags on, somehow managing to feel overstuffed and undercooked all at once. A true feat, if it wasn't so frustrating to watch.

Ultimately, it feels like a soulless cash grab. Another in a long line of Disney remakes that mistake visual fidelity for emotional resonance. It's got all the polish of a high-budget project, but none of the spirit. I didn't smile, I didn't cry - I just kept checking my watch.

Honestly? I'm at the point where I won't even bother watching the live-action remake of Moana, or whatever else they're churning out next. I'm so over the fakeness. These aren't love letters to our childhoods - they're boardroom products dressed up in nostalgia.

NO MORE. Let our animated classics stay classics. They don't need "updating." They just need to be left alone.

I really wanted to enjoy this, especially given the nostalgia tied to the original, but it just didn't land for me. The pacing felt rushed-like the filmmakers were in a hurry to get through the plot rather than let it breathe. They introduced new characters that didn't add much and honestly felt unnecessary.

What bothered me most was how far the story veered from the original. It didn't feel like a natural evolution or a modern reimagining-it felt like they were actively trying to make it not the classic we grew up loving. On top of that, the casting didn't help. The characters didn't match the personalities or essence they were supposed to represent, which made it hard to stay immersed.

Overall, it missed the mark for me. Sometimes sticking closer to the source material really is the better call.

Firstly, there are some positives. Stitch still elicits some smiles because of his antics and the blend of cute behavior with devilish recklessness. The film looks nice, and some of the actors do a solid job. Throughout the movie, however, it becomes abundantly clear that this will never be equal to the original. It is an echo of something far better. People who make this argument are not merely trying to be sticklers. There is probably not a single new implementation that worked better than what the 2002 film chose to do. The pacing of the movie was problematic, and some of the choices regarding plot points lacked heart and gravitas. Like almost all of these live-action Disney remakes, it is a cash grab (in this circumstance, it is being rewarded unlike others that flopped critically and featured fans not turning out as expected). This review will not contain any spoilers. Yet, I do think I can make the case that if you were expecting the beautiful and rich message of "Ohana means family" being the axis upon which the movie turns you will be soundly disappointed. This movie does not have the noxious messaging that Disney has rightfully been pilloried for recently, and it is not a horrid film, but it is not going to have the grip on hearts and minds like the first film.

If you are expecting a carbon copy of the animated version, you will be disappointed. The story has been changed, characters removed, not many laughs and too much focus on the human characters.

Stitch had some cute moments but they were few and far between.

The key introduction to a new neighbour was an added touch but I do feel that this was needed as the film did drag on. At 1 hour 45 mins, this could easily have been reduced to a 90 min movie.

This could have been so much better and this had high potential but sadly fails.

Was an okay watch for a rainy day but wouldn't rush to watch again.

What to say about this remake? The kids will love it. Stitch is spot-on animated, the cast is great, especially for Lilo and her sister Nani. And that's about it about the good stuff.

For hardcore fans of the original as myself this remake will be a disappointment.

The story at the beginning is rushed, iconic characters are missing, there are some new characters that add absolutely nothing to the story, iconic story elements are missing, the main villain is changed, the reference to Elvis Presley is barely in it, the reference to "ohana" is completely changed thus changing the messaging of the movie (because you know, we live in "modern" times now), the third act is a mess and I literally hated the ending.

But it is still watchable and the kids will enjoy it.