Overview

• The live-action remake retains the core story of Lilo, a Hawaiian orphan, bonding with Stitch, a mischievous alien, while introducing deeper explorations of family struggles.
• Critics praised Maia Kealoha’s performance as Lilo and the emotional focus on Nani’s challenges as her sister’s guardian, including a subplot about health insurance.
• Stitch’s CGI design has been widely appreciated for its realism, but other visual effects, including the human disguises of alien characters, were deemed lackluster.
• The film has been criticized for its perceived lack of originality, with some describing it as a formulaic and uninspired copy of the animated original.
• Originally intended for streaming, the $100 million production shifted to a theatrical release, reflecting Disney’s evolving approach to its live-action remake slate.