Following the fully animated Lilo & Stitch film released over two decades ago, this live-action version (with a CGI Stitch) comes along to create more fond childhood memories for children of all ages. The House of Mouse also continues to highlight cultures outside the norm while still leaving that warm family glow as only Disney can.
Newcomer Maia Kealoha plays Lilo, an outsider mourning the loss of both her parents while living with her sister Nani (Sydney Agudong). She is a precocious little girl whose behaviour and manner borders on the annoying but you can see the inherent goodness underneath. When the outcast blue alien Stitch comes into her life, it’s a perfect match.
The fact that both are troublemakers and free spirits plays into the film’s central theme of not judging people before you get to know them and seeing the goodness even in the displaced. This also powers the comedic momentum of the story and there are numerous laugh-out-loud moments as the two ramp up the chaos.
While missing the outright charm of the original (aided by its cute hand-drawn animated look), this new version has its own virtues, chief of which is its seamless integration of live action with computer-generated imagery. There is a wholesomeness that will please parents and leave behind a lingering positive message.
Rob Hudson
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