'Lilo & Stitch' Spoiler-Free Film Review
Image Source: Filmfare
Lilo & Stitch is Disney’s latest live-action remake. The film tells the classic story of an alien experiment crashing to Earth, where he bonds with a broken family. While many of Disney’s live-action films have been criticized as frame-for-frame remakes of the animated versions, Lilo & Stitch manages to find the right balance between remaking iconic scenes and putting a fresh take on the story.
The original animated film took place in the early 2000s, which was contemporary for its time. The remake takes place in current times, as shown by cell phones and a TikTok joke. Fans of the original will likely be disappointed by two major exclusions from the movie. Captain Gantuu is absent, leaving Jumba to take on a more villainous role. Jumba’s accent from the first movie is missing. Zach Galifianakis plays Jumba well, but his voice is very similar to Billy Magnussen’s Pleakley, making it difficult to tell who’s talking when the shot is zoomed out. The aliens in the opening are nearly identical CGI remakes of the original cartoon, but still feel a bit off at times. The nature of the film’s CGI makes the aliens feel like holograms at times, especially after Pleakley and Jumba acquire cloaking tech that disguises them as humans.
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Image Source: Novelando
Maia Kealoha, who plays Lilo, and Sydney Elizebeth Audong, who plays Nani, bring lots of heart to the roles. Even for someone who knows the story and the inevitable happy ending of a Disney film, the pair together makes the audience feel their pain. Chris Sanders reprises his role of Stitch, providing the same voice that fans will recognize from the animated film. David returns and is expertly played by Kaipo Dudoit. Amy Hill introduces a new character, Tutu, to the story and expands the Ohana. Tutu is Nani’s neighbor, lending both comedy and a helping hand. Courtney B. Vance gives a compelling portrayal of Agent Cobra Bubbles.
While the story remains largely the same, the film introduces Nani’s dream of being a Marine biologist, which Lilo repeatedly mistakes as the Marines. The film is less violent than the original as Stitch’s blasters are largely absent. Jumba is equipped with a blaster and a portal gun for alien hijinks that translate well to the live-action format. The use of the portal gun is genius as a defense against capture, and in a special way that I won’t spoil at the end of the film.
Image Source: Pinkvilla
The effects are adequate but rarely impressive. However, the live-action film stands out for its unique adaptation of the story. The social worker, Mrs. Kekoa (Tia Carrere), gets a boosted role and is turned from an overbearing government worker to a compassionate woman who seeks the best situation for both Lilo and Nani. Stitch’s transformation from bad to good is rather rapid in this film, but enough is there to stage some chaotic scenes with wine glasses, soda guns, and fire jugglers.
Lilo’s hula classmates have limited screentime in this version. The classic fight between Lilo and Myrtle is still present, but the focus is much more on Lilo’s bond with Nani and Stitch. In the original, Nani was much more focused on Lilo’s antics and caught on right away to Stitch’s weirdness. In this version, she’s focused more on finding a job and is distracted by job ads on her cell phone. Nani is so focused on the search that Tutu is the one who helps Lilo adopt Stitch.
Overall, the film is worth seeing, especially if you loved the original. The performances leave nothing to be missed, except for Jumba’s accent, and the film is beautiful and heartwarming. At a runtime of 148 minutes, it’s easier to make time to see this film and enjoy a wild romp through Hawaii’s tropical island landscape while discovering the true meaning of Ohana.
RATING: 8.5/10
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Source(s): IMDb
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