By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
Accept
Absolute GeeksAbsolute Geeks
  • LATEST
    • TECH
    • GAMING
    • AUTOMOTIVE
    • QUICK READS
  • REVIEWS
    • SMARTPHONES
    • HEADPHONES
    • ACCESSORIES
    • LAPTOPS
    • SPEAKERS
    • TABLETS
    • WEARABLES
    • APPS
    • GAMING
    • TV & MOVIES
    • ━
    • ALL REVIEWS
  • PLAY
    • TV & MOVIES REVIEWS
    • THE LATEST
  • DECRYPT
    • GUIDES
    • OPINIONS
  • +
    • TMT LABS
    • WHO WE ARE
    • GET IN TOUCH
Reading: Lilo & Stitch (2025) review: a touching tale of loss, love, and alien chaos
Share
Absolute GeeksAbsolute Geeks
  • LATEST
    • TECH
    • GAMING
    • AUTOMOTIVE
    • QUICK READS
  • REVIEWS
    • SMARTPHONES
    • HEADPHONES
    • ACCESSORIES
    • LAPTOPS
    • SPEAKERS
    • TABLETS
    • WEARABLES
    • APPS
    • GAMING
    • TV & MOVIES
    • ━
    • ALL REVIEWS
  • PLAY
    • TV & MOVIES REVIEWS
    • THE LATEST
  • DECRYPT
    • GUIDES
    • OPINIONS
  • +
    • TMT LABS
    • WHO WE ARE
    • GET IN TOUCH
Follow US

Lilo & Stitch (2025) review: a touching tale of loss, love, and alien chaos

MAYA A.
MAYA A.
May 21, 2025

TL;DR: Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch (2025) surpasses expectations by preserving the emotional core of the beloved original. With heartfelt performances, authentic cultural representation, and a faithful yet refreshed narrative, it stands out among Disney’s recent remakes. Some tonal inconsistencies and underused supporting characters prevent it from achieving perfection, but its emotional resonance is undeniable.

Lilo & Stitch (2025)

4 out of 5
This product offers great value with impressive performance, but there are a few drawbacks to consider.
WATCH IN CINEMAS

In an era where Disney has aggressively pursued live-action remakes of its animated classics, the 2025 version of Lilo & Stitch was met with skepticism. These projects often walk a tightrope between nostalgia and redundancy, with some entries (The Jungle Book, Cinderella) emerging as thoughtful reimaginings, while others (Pinocchio, Peter Pan & Wendy) struggle to justify their existence.

Director Dean Fleischer Camp, best known for Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, was tapped to helm Lilo & Stitch, a property known for its tonal eccentricity, emotional depth, and deep cultural ties to Hawaii. Fortunately, the result is a film that feels sincere, textured, and emotionally grounded—one of the more successful entries in Disney’s live-action remake lineup.

At the film’s center is Maia Kealoha as Lilo, delivering a performance that captures the emotional complexity and idiosyncratic charm of the character. Balancing grief, loneliness, and defiance, Kealoha anchors the film with a nuanced portrayal that never feels exaggerated or artificial. Her chemistry with Sydney Agudong, who plays older sister Nani, is essential—and consistently effective.

Agudong brings additional depth to Nani, portraying her not just as a guardian, but as a young woman navigating the difficult balance between responsibility and personal aspiration. This dynamic between the sisters forms the emotional core of the film, enhancing the stakes of their situation and making the threat of family separation feel palpably distressing.

Chris Sanders returns to voice Stitch, reprising the role from the 2002 original. The CGI version of the character is effective for the most part, combining believable physicality with the recognizable voice and expressive behavior that defined the original performance. The animation team avoids making Stitch too polished, maintaining the creature’s chaotic energy and endearing grotesqueness.

Camp’s direction brings a restrained, emotionally intelligent approach to the material. Visually, the film avoids excessive mimicry of the original’s most iconic frames, instead opting for naturalistic cinematography that emphasizes Hawaii’s living environments rather than treating them as scenic backdrops.

Set design and location choices contribute to a sense of authenticity. The lived-in details of Lilo and Nani’s home, the texture of island life, and the interactions with the community help create a grounded atmosphere that contrasts effectively with the film’s more fantastical elements. Hawaii is presented not as a tourist fantasy, but as a place marked by cultural richness and economic hardship—a key thematic undercurrent that the film handles with respect and clarity.

Narratively, the remake remains faithful to the structure of the 2002 film but introduces several adjustments that enhance or modernize the storytelling. The emotional foundation—Lilo, an eccentric young girl, struggling with the loss of her parents, and Nani, her overwhelmed guardian, trying to keep their fractured family together—remains intact.

The alien subplot, while still prominent, is slightly streamlined. Jumba (Zach Galifianakis) and Pleakley (Billy Magnussen) appear in human disguises, a change that attempts to mitigate the tonal dissonance between the film’s sci-fi elements and its otherwise grounded setting. While the performances are enthusiastic, these sequences occasionally disrupt the film’s emotional momentum. Their comedic interludes are hit-and-miss, feeling disconnected from the central story despite their relevance to Stitch’s origin.

A notable alteration involves the restructuring of Cobra Bubbles’ role. Originally a menacing yet compassionate social worker, the character is split into two separate figures: a CIA agent (still played by Courtney B. Vance) and a child welfare officer (Mrs. Kekoa, portrayed by original Nani voice actress Tia Carrere). While this bifurcation allows for more plot differentiation, it reduces the impact of what was once a memorable, singular presence.

What sets this remake apart from many of its predecessors is its retention of the original film’s emotional weight. Themes of loss, found family, and resilience are emphasized through strong character writing and a refusal to dilute the story’s emotional truth for broader appeal.

Lilo’s grief is not sanitized. Her behavior—sometimes erratic, sometimes confrontational—is clearly shown as a child’s attempt to process trauma. Likewise, Nani’s daily struggle to provide for her sister while preserving their bond is depicted with a realism that resonates. These dynamics elevate the film beyond formulaic retelling, grounding the extraterrestrial plot in universal emotional experiences.

The story’s conclusion, while familiar, is punctuated by new narrative beats that underscore the characters’ emotional growth and expand the scope of the original message. A slightly more defined antagonist and a few last-minute tonal shifts provide closure while reinforcing the film’s central ethos: that family, defined by love and chosen connection, is stronger than any external chaos.

While the film succeeds in many key areas, it is not without its shortcomings. The comedic subplot involving Jumba and Pleakley occasionally feels out of step with the film’s tone, and their integration into the main storyline could have been more cohesive. Additionally, the decision to split Cobra Bubbles into two characters dilutes the impact of a formerly strong supporting role.

There are also moments where the film appears overly cautious, particularly in softening some of Lilo’s more aggressive behaviors. While this makes her more traditionally likable, it slightly undermines the original’s bold portrayal of childhood anger and trauma.

Still, these are relatively minor flaws in a film that largely succeeds in delivering an emotionally resonant experience.

Disney’s Lilo & Stitch (2025) stands as one of the rare live-action remakes that earns its place alongside the original. It doesn’t attempt to reinvent the story entirely, but it does offer thoughtful enhancements that deepen its emotional and cultural impact.

While not all supporting elements land as cleanly, the core narrative of two sisters finding strength through love and loss is delivered with clarity and heart. It is a reminder that, when handled with care, even a remake can feel like more than just a commercial enterprise—it can feel like family.

Lilo & Stitch (2025) is an emotionally authentic and visually grounded reimagining that preserves the heart of its animated predecessor. Thoughtful direction, standout performances, and a strong thematic focus on grief, identity, and chosen family make it one of Disney’s most successful live-action remakes to date.

Share
What do you think?
Happy0
Sad0
Love0
Surprise0
Cry0
Angry0
Dead0

LATEST STORIES

Google’s Veo 3 now turns photos into videos with Gemini image-to-video update
TECH
Razer launches DeathAdder V4 Pro with HyperSpeed Wireless Gen-2
TECH
Perplexity launches Comet: an AI-powered web browser to replace traditional search
TECH
LG launches OLED evo M5: true wireless OLED TV for gaming and home cinema
TECH
Absolute GeeksAbsolute Geeks
Follow US
© 2014-2025 Absolute Geeks, a TMT Labs L.L.C-FZ media network - Privacy Policy
Level up with the Geek Newsletter
Tech, entertainment, and smart guides

Zero spam, we promise. Unsubscribe any time.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?