Disney has been remaking/reimagining many of its classic animated films in live action, the latest of which is 2002’s Lilo & Stitch.
In the Kweltikwan Galaxy, the Galactic Council, headed by The Grand Councilwoman (Hannah Waddingham), has gathered to discuss a monstrosity/threat that was captured in one of their labs—Experiment 626 is the product of illegal genetic experimentation, a weapon created by Dr. Jumba Jookiba (Zach Galifianakis). The Councilwoman orders that Experiment 626 be exiled, but the creature manages to steal a ship, and escape, making his way to Earth, where he lands on a Hawaiian island. Jumba offers to go retrieve the escaped experiment, and the Grand Councilwoman reluctantly agrees, assigning Earth enthusiast Agent Pleakley (Billy Magnussen) to supervise. The aliens try to disguise themselves as humans to blend in as they search for te creature, but they still stick out like a sore thumb.
After their parents died in an accident, Nani (Sydney Elizebeth Agudong) took on the responsibility of caring for her mischievous 6-year-old sister Lilo (Maia Kealoha). Effectively a single mother, Nani put her scholarship and dreams of going to her dream school for Marine biology on the backburner, taking a job as a waitress to try to make ends meet. Even with some help from next door neighbor Tūtū (Amy Hill) helps out and her grandson David (Kaipo Dudoit) (who has an obvious crush on Nani), she’s struggling to pay the bills, and keep the house in order. Lilo can be quite the handful, getting into fights at school with kids that pick on her. This raises the concerns of social worker Mrs. Kekoa (Tia Carrere), who gives her just a few days to turn things around, or else Nani and Lilo could be separated.
Their world is about to get even more chaotic when Experiment 626 comes into their lives. Lilo has no friends, so when she finds Experiment 626 at the animal shelter (disguising himself as a dog), she’s immediately smitten. She names her new pet/best friend Stitch. They both have a knack for getting into trouble, and Stitch quickly brings even more chaos into the home, making Nani’s job even more difficult. But Stitch seems to be good for Lilo, who finally seems happy. However, in addition to being pursued by Jumba and Agent Pleakley, Stitch’s antics soon attract the attention of CIA Special Agent Cobra Bubbles (Courtney B. Vance) as well. But as Stitch becomes part of the family, and they discover what he truly is and the danger he’s in, Nani, Lilo and the others need to come together like Ohana to help their newest family member.
The original Lilo & Stitch wasn’t really one of the Disney animated classics in my household—I probably only saw it once when it was first released in the theater. So I didn’t really remember much of the storyline when I sat down to watch this live action version. I can’t really speak as to what what changed from the animated version, but I quite enjoyed this live-action edition. At the core of the film is this theme of Ohana and never leaving anyone behind. Nani and Lilo lost their parents and are still dealing with that. They want to stay together as a family, but it’s a struggle. Nani had to give up on her dreams, and Lilo would rather have her sister as her sister than a replacement mom. Lilo is lonely and has no friends, until she meets Stitch, who is very much like herself—a loner who seems to cause mischief wherever he goes. The two are kindred spirits and quickly become best friends. A large portion of the film is just these two having fun, enjoying one another’s company, and innocently getting into trouble. Stich’s antics bring a lot of laughs to the movie. Also bringing a lot of physical humor are the misfit aliens Jumba and Pleakley, who are trying to pretend to be human without actually knowing how humans act. They aren’t very good at their mission either, constantly outwitted and outsmarted by Lilo & Sitch. And while Nani is initially frustrated and annoyed by Stitch, she also starts to see him as part of the family.
The cast is wonderful, especially newcomer Maia Kealoha, who really embodies Lilo. Chris Sanders, who provided the voice for Stitch for the original films, returns to voice the character again. Amy Hill and Tia Carrere also provided voices in the original animated film, and return here playing different characters. The rest of the ensemble is also great. This is just a feel-good film, with a beautiful Hawaiian setting and beautiful message. It’s something the whole family can enjoy together, and is very re-watchable.
Disney has released Lilo & Stitch on 4K SteelBook, Blu-ray, DVD & Digital. We were sent the HD Digital version for review. The presentation looks and sounds fantastic. The picture is clean and detailed, and the bright colors of the Hawaiian setting really shine. Stich feels very believable and real, and blends in seamlessly with the live action—you instantly forget he’s animated. The audio track provides clear dialogue throughout, and showcase the film’s delightful Hawaiian soundtrack. The audio track also provides a thoroughly-immersive experience, filling the room with the ambiance of the ocean, the sounds of nature, outer-space, and all of Stitch’s wild antics. My only complaint is that Disney has abandoned the 3D format for home video. It would have been great to have been able to experience this in 3D at home, like how it was originally presented in the theater!
The disc/digital releases contain a small but entertaining assortment of bonus material, consisting over 20 minutes of behind-the-scenes featurettes with the cast/crew, a gag reel, 2 deleted scenes, and a few short scenes with Sitch commentary.
What’s Included:
Film: (1:47:55)
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Specs may vary by provider
- 1080p / Widescreen 2.39:1
- Audio: English Dolby Atmos, English Descriptive Audio, Spanish 5.1, French 5.1
- Subtitles: English SDH, French SDH, Spanish
- ‘Ohana Means Family: Making Lilo & Stitch (16:34)
The cast and crew talk about their reactions to the original animated film, keeping the film familiar to the original, finding the blend of humor and heart, the characters, casting the movie, translating the aliens to live action, working with the puppet, the stunts, shooting in Hawaii, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, scene comparisons with the original, concept artwork, and interviews with director Dean Fleischer Camp, executive producer Ryan Halprin, creator Chris Sanders (“Stitch”), executive producer (Tom Peitzman), screenwriter Chris Kekaniokalani Bright, producer Jonathan Eirich, visual effects supervisor – ILM Craig Hammack, Stitch puppeteer – Legacy Effects Seth Hays, Stitch suit performer/acting coach Sara Arrington, stunt coordinator Marcus Young, sr. manager Rise Content Advisement Kalikolehua Hurley, cultural consultant Lāiana Kanoa-Wong, production designer Todd Cherniawsky, producer Dan Lin, and stars Tia Carrere (“Mrs. Kekoa”), Sydney Elizebeth Agudong (“Nani”), Maia Kealoha (“Lilo”), Courtney B. Vance (“Cobra Bubbles”), Zach Galifianakis (“Jumba”), Billy Magnussen (“Pleakley”), Kaipo Dudoit (“David”) & Amy Hill (“Tūtū”). - Drawn to Life (6:54)
Narrated featurette looking at the making of the film, the cast, and more. Includes Easter eggs, behind-the-scenes footage, and comparisons between the animated and live-action movies. - Bloopers (1:35)
Laugh with the cast as they crack each other up, deal with misbehaving props, and have fun on set. - Deleted Scenes (1:57)
Two short deleted scenes, in varying level of completion. Play All, or select from:- Nani Cleans Up (:49)
While cleaning the house, Nani finds her old science award. - My Name is Nani (1:05)
Lilo sings a song about Nani to her sister.
- Nani Cleans Up (:49)
- Scenes with Stitch (6:18)
Stitch provides commentary over some of his favorite scenes. Play All, or select from:- Escape To Earth (1:48)
Stitch escapes in his red ship. - Feeding Fish (:29)
Lilo leaves a sandwich for the fish in the ocean. - Hula Performance (:56)
Lilo’s school hula performance turns disastrous. - Stitch Gets Named (1:12)
Lilo gives Stitch his name. - Bath Time (:44)
Lilo tries to give Stitch a bath. - Watch This (:45)
Lilo tries to show Nani how Stitch’s mouth can serve as a speaker.
- Escape To Earth (1:48)
Extras:
Final Thoughts:
It’s probably been 20 years since I last saw the original animated Lilo & Stitch, so I can’t really say what is different between the animated and live-action versions. However, I found this live-action version to be quite entertaining, and something the whole family can enjoy together. Live-action Stitch is quite fun and delightful, and you instantly forget he’s animated. The effects are really well done, and at the core of this film is a story of love and family, mixing a lot of humor in with the heart. This is certainly one of Disney’s better live-action adaptations. The digital release looks and sounds great, and includes a small but entertaining selection of bonus material. It’s certainly worth picking up for fans of the film or characters. And for those on the fence, the movie will also be streaming on Disney+ starting September 3, if you want to check it out there first.
