The “live action” adaptations of classic Disney animated films have met with mixed results, and in some cases the films might seem like really unnecessary updates. It’s hard to believe the original animated LILO & STITCH came out in 2002… yep, twenty-three years ago! The new version hits theaters this weekend, featuring an all-new cast barring a few exceptions of voice actors from the original, and thankfully they brought back Chris Sanders as the voice of Stitch. This comes from director Dean Fleischer Camp (MARCEL THE SHELLS WITH SHOES ON), and stars Hannah Waddingham, Tia Carrere, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Magnussen, Courtney B. Vance, Jason Scott Lee, Amy Hill, Sydney Agudong as Nani, and newcomer Maia Kealoha as Lilo. This new take on LILO & STITCH is in many ways the same story we’ve seen before, though with significant changes to certain elements, and unfortunately not always in an effective way. I’m writing this review hoping you’ve seen the original film, so if you haven’t, you may want to change that before reading on or taking in the new version.

Opening in very similar fashion to the 2002 animated film, we’re introduced to an alien race that is inspecting their scientist Jumba (Zach Galifianakis) and his new creation Experiment 626 (eventually known as “Stitch”, and voiced by Chris Sanders). The aliens believe the “indestructible” experiment to be an abomination, and decide to imprison it along with Jumba, but 626 escapes in a stolen ship and activates the hyperdrive propelling him to Earth on the other end of the galaxy. The aliens task Jumba and their specialist Pleakley (Billy Magnussen) with following 626 and capturing him to bring him back.

On Earth, 626 crashes on the island of Hawaii, where we’re introduced to a young girl named Lilo (newcomer Maia Kealoha) and her sister Nani (Sydney Agudong). Nani is trying to raise Lilo alone after their parents died tragically, and is having a hard time holding down a job. Lilo isn’t making things easy, as she’s awkward and eccentric, and doesn’t really make friends easily. 626 winds up in the local dog pound after a bus accidentally runs him over. And wouldn’t you know it, Lilo visits the pound to feed the puppies, and falls in love with him, deciding to take him home despite everyone around her warning against it. Also arriving in Hawaii are Jumba and Pleakley, who immediately disguise themselves as humans to blend in, and start tracking down their target. Lilo names 626 “Stitch”, and tries her best to train him, but his wild antics add to the stress of Nani and Lilo’s already strained relationship. With Jumba and Pleakley closing in, Stitch must find a way to coexist with his new family before things get completely out of hand.

While the basic story here is the same as the original, there are some interesting changes made for either story or (likely) budgetary reasons. Outside of the very similar opening, the new film leans more heavily into the comedy aspects, and less into the Sci-Fi side of things. The decision to have Jumba and Pleakley take human form makes sense to cut down on the CGI needed, but those characters just aren’t as fun or interesting as humans here. While I like both Zach Galifianakis and Billy Magnussen, they don’t quite seem to fit in those roles, and I felt like the chemistry those characters had in the original film is sadly gone here. The filmmakers also made the decision to add and in some cases remove characters we saw in the original – the giant shark-ish alien Captain Gantu is gone in this new film entirely, and while the character of Cobra Bubbles is here (played by Courtney B. Vance), he’s separated into two characters with him being a CIA agent investigating the alien craft crash, and Tia Carrere (who voiced Nani in the original) plays a social worker checking on Nani and Lilo… I’m honestly not sure why they split the Cobra Bubbles role into two different people, as it doesn’t feel like it adds or changes anything significantly in the story. Amy Hill and Jason Scott Lee, who both provided voices in the animated version, are given small roles here, though Lee’s role is a glorified cameo. Hannah Waddingham provides the voice of the Grand Councilwoman alien from the first movie, and does a good job emulating the original voice, but even that character feels like she has less to do here.

Thankfully the one thing that still works and works well is Stitch, especially considering Chris Sanders is still providing his voice. He’s quirky and lovable and fun to watch here, and the movie does a good job of translating him from animation to CGI, animated quite well with the on-screen human counterparts. And the two new stars, Maia Kealoha and Sydney Agudon, are really good and have solid chemistry with one another. The film definitely shifts the focus more on the relationship of the two sisters than the Stitch and Lilo dynamic, and while it’s understandable for a live action take, it might serve as a disappointment for hardcore fans of the original. Certain sequences are altered to be more “human” in presentation, or in the case of action sequences, the carnage feels toned down at times. The biggest let down for me, and one that I feel many fans of the original film will also be upset about, is the removal of The Ugly Duckling book and theme, particularly the heartwarming scene where Stitch walks out into the woods all alone and reads the book aloud… that moment is such a defining scene in the 2002 film, and I will never understand why it’s just not here at all.

Director Dean Fleischer Camp finds a way to make this material more grounded and relatable, but only by sacrificing some of the best part of what made the original film so memorable. The new LILO & STITCH is fun and entertaining, and definitely funny at times, but it just feels like the heart of the story is missing, and the charm and key character moments of the 2002 film are either too watered down or just not here. This is an odd film to receive the “live action” adaptation treatment anyway, but I was hoping for greatness. As it is, I think people will have a good time, but will leave with the realization that sometimes it’s really hard to top the source material, especially when the first attempt is so darn good.

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