Shadows on the Wall | Lilo & Stitch

Lilo & Stitch

dir Dean Fleischer Camp
scr Chris Kekaniokalani Bright, Mike Van Waes
prd Jonathan Eirich, Dan Lin
with Maia Kealoha, Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Chris Sanders, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Magnussen, Courtney B Vance, Tia Carrere, Hannah Waddingham, Kaipo Dudoit, Amy Hill, Emery Hookano-Briel, Jason Scott Lee
release US/UK 23.May.25
25/US Disney 1h48

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Enjoyable anarchy in the original 2002 animated classic is replaced by more family-friendly goofiness for this energetic remake, which mixes live-action with digital animation. Director Dean Fleischer Camp softens the sharp edges with wacky camera moves, slapstick silliness and swelling sentimentality. But the real problem here is that the film lacks a point of view, restlessly darting between various characters. This frenetic approach will amuse only very young children.

In Hawaii, college-age Nani (Agudong) is warned by a social worker (Carrere) that she's in danger of losing guardianship of her extraordinarily feisty 6-year-old sister Lilo (Kealoha). Meanwhile, the destructive but indestructible furry blue alien critter Stitch (voiced by Sanders) has crash landed nearby, pursued by two hapless handlers (Galifianakis and Magnussen) trying to contain him. When Lilo discovers Stitch, they of course become inseparable, bound together by their irrepressibly mischievous actions, causing noisy chaos everywhere, while further jeopardising both of their predicaments. And now CIA operative Cobra (Vance) is snooping around as well.

When the rapid-fire pacing settles down to allow some character detail, the movie becomes rather charming. It helps that Kealoha and Agudong have terrific chemistry as very different siblings who understand that they need each other after their parents died. Even when Lilo is being a monster, there's a lovely sense of affection and loyalty between them. And of course this seeps into the way they bond with Stitch as well. So when they are on-screen, the film has an engaging kick to it.

Other characters fill in scenes in ways that feel a bit more deliberate. Galifianakis and Magnussen skilfully provide zany comic relief as the inept aliens trying to disguise themselves as humans. Vance, Carrere, Dudoit (as a lovelorn surfer dude) and Hill (as a kindly neighbour) push things along to create the expected outcome. And Waddingham has a lot of fun providing the voice of the imperious alien leader. But no one is allowed to be even remotely unpredictable.

There's an important central point here about how society labels anything it can't control as bad. But by so frantically trying to push every comedy and action button, Camp leaves that in the background. And this also leaves the heartwarming message about finding and treasuring your family feeling unusually simplistic. So while the movie is lively enough to pass the time, the irony is that this version is far more cartoonish than the original.

themes, violence 30.May.25

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