Say Aloha to the Live Action Remake of Two Best Friends
The latest live-action remake produced by Walt Disney Pictures is the 2025 film Lilo & Stitch, based on the 2002 film of the same name. This film is a science fiction comedy about a lonely Hawaiian girl who meets an evil alien experiment and helps mend her broken family, as well as shows her the true meaning of friendship. The film is directed by Dean Fleischer Camp and was written by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright and Mike Van Waes.
A Hawaiian Rollercoaster Plot Ride
Lilo & Stitch (2025) took a Hawaiian rollercoaster ride when it came to the plot. However, compared to the original film, it took some aspects and flew with them to make an entirely new movie, not just a remake of a classic Disney film. The plot was interesting as it took elements from not just the 2002 animated film, but also some of the sequel films and the animated TV show. There are plenty of easter eggs and plot points from the animated Lilo & Stitch films for super fans of the franchise to enjoy. Despite making a change of villain in the film, as the decision was made to take out the crucial character of Gantu from the live-action remake, the plot was coherent enough that it made sense to take the character out of the film completely. The pacing of the film was fast, but the pace made sense to add all the details into the 108 minutes of the film. The film was a family-friendly, fun, comedic experience, but also had a hint of sadness and anger to make audiences feel emotion for the characters as they embark on their journey. Lilo & Stitch has a cute plot of friendship while battling internally, good versus evil. The uniqueness of the film, for being a live-action remake, is that it added elements that were not in the original films to make it not a remake after all, but its own film. But also, the CGI in the film for the character of Stitch makes him look like a fluffy, lovable creature and not a scary monster, just like the original film.
‘Ohana Means Family: The Actors Who Became a Family
Acting can make or break a film. The acting of Lilo & Stitch expectantly makes the film. The film stars Maia Kealoha as Lilo Pelekai, Chris Sanders as the voice of Stitch, Sydney Elizebeth Agudong as Nani Pelekai, Billy Magnussen as Agent Wendell Pleakley, Zach Galifianakis as Dr. Jumba Jookiba, Courtney B. Vance as Agent Cobra Bubbles, Kaipo Dudiot as David Kawena, and Amy Hill as Tutu. The film was the breakout role for young Maia Kealoha, who played the main character Lilo. She was so believable as Lilo. She makes the audience say “awe” as she is so adorable but also fierce. She plays the imaginative, rebellious six-year-old girl so well that no one else could ever be seen as the character of Lilo.
The audience can feel the emotion radiating from Kealoha as when plays through Lilo’s journey of wanting a true friend. Sydney Elizebeth Agudong was the perfect person to play Nani, the older sister and guardian of Lilo. Agudong’s storytelling of Nani’s struggle of trying to provide for her little sister while also wanting to pursue her own dreams was excellent. The acting provided by Agudong truly shows that Nani is stressed out and conflicted about how she is going to provide care for Lilo while also being there for her. Billy Magnussen and Zach Galifianakis provided the best comedic duo throughout the film as their characters work together and disagree on how to find Experiment 626. The two actors truly provided the best performance and left the audience laughing at every moment.
The Experiment 626’s Film Production & Soundtrack
Lilo & Stitch had one of the best soundtracks and films in 2025. The soundtrack includes “Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride,” which is sung by American Idol Season 21 winner Iam Tongi and The Kamehameha Schools Children’s Chorus; “Aloha ‘Oe,” sung by Sydney Agudong and Mia Kealoha; and “He Lei Papahi No Lilo a me Stitch,” performed by Mark Keali’i Ho’omalu and The Kamehameha Schools Children’s Chorus. “Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride” is a new rendition of the song from the animated film. The vocals in the song are incredible and are in tune with each other. It is a solid cover of the original and still makes the heart fill with joy when listening to the song. The film’s CGI of the aliens was really good. Each of the main aliens continued to maintain their features from the original, while some new aliens were added, like the one that is an axolotl who works in the alien ship’s control room. An aspect of the film that definitely did not work was Jumba’s accent. Jumba is known for having a distinct accent, and the live-action version just kept him using a regular American accent, which was disappointing. The film should have gone more in-depth with Pleakley’s character and made him more silly like they did in the original film. The most outstanding moments in the film are the cinematography of the hula and surfing scenes. The cinematography captured Lilo’s feelings about Myrtle and the other girls in her hula class during the scene to make the audience feel upset and angry at the other girls while feeling bad for Lilo. The surf scene shows Stitch’s emotions of trying something new and allows the audience to believe that he is turning good and that Nani has started to open up to having Stitch in the family.
Disney’s Best Live-Action Remake
Overall, Lilo & Stitch (2025) is an excellent live-action rendition of the animated film. It might be the best Disney live-action film to date. This film is definitely one to watch in the theaters. Disney’s Lilo & Stitch was released on May 23, 2025, and can be seen only in theaters. Go see this amazing film with your family, or as they say in the film, your ohana!
Lilo & Stitch (2025) Official Disney Trailer
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Author
Elke Simmons' writing portfolio includes contributions to The Laredo Morning Times, Walt Disney World Eyes and Ears, Extinction Rebellion (XR) News/Blog, and Dead Talk News.