Disney take us for another 'Hawaiian Rollercoaster Rider' with their latest live action film: Lilo and Stitch (directed by Dean Fleischer Camp). An adaptation of the live action original of the same name from 2002. Despite the twenty-three-year gap between the films, Stitch has retained popularity as a character, particularly at Disney theme parks across the globe, so it's really not surprise the blue alien would eventually get the live action re-imagining treatment. The film is good, but slightly disappointing given the high expectations that come with Disney films. Read on for my full review, minor spoilers.
Narratively Lilo and Stitch sticks relativity close to its source material, giving it a familiar quality that is comforting. That's not to stay it's a complete copy, there are a few major changes, which either add or detract from the overall film. You'll notice that Captain Cantu (an alien with a whale-like quality) has been scraped, a surprise but given the large changes to the films third act Cantu is not missed. A larger change is the introduction of social worker Mrs. Kekoa (Tia Carrere) and Tūtū (Amy Hill) the grandmother of David (Kaito Dudoit), both are wonderful additions and surround Nani (Sydney Elizebeth Agudong) with much needed adult guidance. These character additions, allow for the most impactful change, the development of Nani. The film reiterates Nani's youth, a child raising a child - a huge expectation on someone so young. Especially when Nani has her own future ahead of her, and her own dreams of collage and marine biology, something she is expected to sacrifice to raise her sister. It's a wonderful change to the narrative, adding some much-needed development and depth for Nani. Whilst acknowledging the challenges she faces alongside her sister.
Maia Kealoha wonderfully brings Lilo to life, her performance full of cuteness and heart. Stitch is once again perfectly voiced by Chris Sanders and is beautifully brought to life, he looks insanely huggable. Whilst their performances are brilliant and they build a wonderful friendship, both Lilo and Stitch have been dulled down in the live action. Stitch has no blasters, Lilo pulls less tantrums and has less passions (Elvis and photography), still great characters but they've lost some of their charm. The result is a less developed relationship between the pair with less growth and less charm. Emotional moments from the original film involving stitch and the ugly duckling book are sacrificed for a more dramatic and heart-renching third act, which feels like the wrong trade off. The film instead focuses on the depth of the relationship between Nani and Lilo, both supporting one another whilst they deal with the shift in their dynamic. The relationship between the two is beautifully captured.
A positive trade off comes in the form of Agent Pleakley (Billy Magnussen) and Dr. Jumba Jookiba (Zach Galifianakis). Their storyline is fleshed out as the pair become "humans" in order to fit it. A stand-out scene is when they first transform and check into a luxury hotel, this scene was one of the funniest of the film. Billy Magnussen shines in this role, his voice acting as brilliant his physical acting - the way he schooled his face to look like the animated version of his character was hilarious. The same cannot be said for Galifianakis, whose bland performance left a lot to be desired especially with the voice acting side of the role, luckily Magnussen shines enough to carry the duo. Ensuring that their scenes are as fun as possible.
Outside of the characters and the narrative, when compared to the animated film we seem to have lost some of the visual magic of Hawaii, do not get me wrong the islands and oceans are beautiful however the film takes little time to linger on the unique beauty. The film also had the perfect opportunity to delve into the environmental side of Hawaii and various conservation methods the islands have, these elements would have blended perfectly with Nani's development.
Despite the shortcomings, Lilo and Stitch is a fun film, it's good fun. Stitch is as cute as ever, Kealoha, Agudong and Magnussen give wonderful performances that shine on the screen. Whilst some of the magic is lost in this re-imagining, Stitch fans will adore the new content, and more casual fans will enjoy the island vibes and funny moments. Lilo and Stitch is a fun film, with some great castings that opens the door to further live action Stitch projects.
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