Lilo & Stitch (2025)
Many of Disney's live-action remakes have been mediocre or worse—even if many of them have been massive hits—so it's a breath of fresh air that the new Lilo & Stitch is pleasant family fare.
Director Dean Fleischer Camp's film
tells the story of Lilo (Maia Kealoha), a young Hawaiian girl being cared for
by her sister Nani (Sydney Agudong) after the death of their parents. A social
worker (Tia Carrere) is threatening to separate the sisters as Nani struggles
to make ends meet. Their lives change when Stitch, created by an alien as a
weapon, escapes a secure facility and crashes on Earth.
There are no great surprises here. Lilo
and Stitch form an unlikely bond. The sisters work through their differences.
Two aliens (Billy Magnussen and Zach Galifanakis) take human form as they try
to capture Stitch. However, the actors do well and the story, as good children
films usually do, has a nice mix of humor and heart, even if the film spins its
wheels a bit around the midpoint.
The humor is especially welcomed since
Hollywood studios have been studiously avoiding making comedies for several
years now. So even adult viewers will likely enjoy getting laughs from bits, such
as an alien official wanting to just blow-up Earth to get rid of Stitch, only
to be told, "Sorry, it's a protected nature preserve. We're using it to
reintroduce mosquitoes to the universe."
Lilo & Stitch may not be on
par with classic Disney, but most families should find it a welcome bit of fun
on a hot summer afternoon.
