Film: Lilo & Stitch [2025] – Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders

Disney is back with another remake. Lilo & Stitch brings nostalgia for the early 2000s kids. And it delivers, mostly.

Chris Sanders is back to voice Stitch. This time, he’s matched with the adorable newcomer Maia Kealoha. Kealoha brings Lilo, and the movie, to life. She steals every scene signaling a brilliant cinematic future, even when Stitch is causing his mayhem. She’s grounding him, and us, and sets the tone for the movie.

After the recent fails of the Disney live action remakes, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this one and avoided all the trailers. Thankfully, it’s a good one.

Stitch was always a touch character to attempt in live action. Is he a dog? A rat? something else? Are we going to get another Sonic mess? Not at all. Conceived with state-of-the-art CGI, the digital Stitch preserves the creature’s moxie thanks to hyper-realistic fur and Sanders’ signature voice performance. He’s played his own creation for over two decades.

The first act is amazing, the second is a bit rough and slow. And the final act brings it home, even if a bit rushed! It hits the funny fan in most of the right places without feeling burned out or exhausting.

If Disney play their cards well, and tighten up some storytelling issues from this one, they could pull up a franchise revival. Give us more heart, more risk, and let Nani (Sydney Agudong) get her happy story like the animation!

Should you watch it?

Lilo & Stitch is hilarious, heartbreaking and at is core Hawaiian culture at its best shrouded in a Disney live-action remake future generations will enjoy for decades. I wanted more heart, but happy to settle with the outcome.

Where can I watch it?

Disney’s Lilo & Stitch is now playing in theaters.