Lilo & Stitch

Original animated version: “Lilo & Stitch” (2002)

Lilo and her big sister, Nani, have had to tough it out on their own ever since their parents died in an accident some time ago. For Nani, playing the role of both big sister AND guardian has left her exhausted, frustrated and sometimes defeated. Nani, from time to time, ponders what it’d be like if she had the opportunity to attend the University of California for Marine Biology. Yet, she realizes that those dreams will just have to be what they are… dreams

For Lilo, though, Lilo is not like the kids her age. For one thing she loves to go to the bottom of the ocean (well as far down as she can swim) and feed a fish, named Pudge, a sandwich. She loves to hula dance with her classmates, but they particularly like dancing with her. In fact, these classmates tend to treat Lilo like garbage, like she doesn’t exist. Lilo also feels, at times, that no one really understands her or wants to take the chance to get to know her. But when you are at your lowest, things can only get better right?

As it turns out, in a galaxy far, far, away (wait, wrong movie), a mysterious experimental creature, called Experiment 626, has been created by the maniacal Dr. Jumba Jookiba (Zach Galifianakis). 626 is blue, has 6 arms, is designed to be virtually indestructible, can lift objects 10x his size and lives to create chaos. The Grand Councilwoman of the Galactic Federation has ordered that 626 be exiled to a remote planet where he won’t be able to hurt anyone. But 626 has other plans.

Through some clever manipulation, 626 is able to steal a flying police cruiser which just happens to crash land on Earth. Not just Earth though, a little groups of islands in the middle of the pacific ocean, Hawaii.

When 626 first arrives, he is run over by a truck and lands in an adoption clinic for dogs. Lilo pays a visit to the clinic, as she loves spending time with the abandoned animals. 626 realizes that Jumba and his colleague Pleakely are after him, so he befriends Lilo (who doesn’t know he’s an alien) and the adventure begins…

Come discover what the word “Ohana” truly means in a remake of a timeless classic that reminds us that families come in all shapes and sizes, and that family is forever…

For those of you are avid Disney fans, both young and the young at heart, myself included, grew up in times where Disney had gone from some very strong highs to the lowest of the lows. Right around the 1989-1999 Disney made much stronger animated, original films (compared to those that came out in the era before, dubbed the “Bronze Era”), many of which we have grown to love over the years: “Pocahontas,” “The Little Mermaid,” “The Lion King,” “Beauty and the Beast,” to name a few.

Around early to late 2000, Disney movies started to become weaker, less popular and less respected, but of course there were always some that would be the exception, and one of these just happened to be “Lilo and Stitch.”

The original, animated 2002 “Lilo and Stitch” is a film that many of my generation hold close to their hearts. Lilo and Stitch dealt with some very powerful issues: loss, family, the need to belong, but dealt with these issues in a very respectful and delicate manner. It’s been 20 years since the original came out and I can still tell you what I remember feeling when I walked out of the theater after watching Lilo and Stitch, a rollercoaster of emotions (happy, sad, and even a little anger). How could a Disney film, a DISNEY film, deal with these complicated issues and still have time to throw in some laughs, some cheers.

You have to understand that the Disney of the 2000s and before was never afraid to deliver strong, often complex messages and still maintain its charm. The Disney of the early 2000s and before did not care about what was politically or socially acceptable, it didn’t just listen to one voice, it listened to all of our voices. Over time, Disney lost its ability and willingness to take risks (hence why we have all these remakes and adaptations. By the way if you want to know the real difference between a remake and an adaptation, a YouTube named Screen Geek made a 15 minute explaining the difference particularly as it pertains to Disney. But I digress…)

So, I went into the theater, here in 2025, incredibly skeptical about the live-adaptation of “Lilo and Stitch.” Even when the trailer was first released, I said, “This is an exact shot for shot, line by line adaptation of the original! Why??” Still, I wanted to see if this new adaptation could hold a candle to the original

Perhaps I’m a little spoiled having grown up with the original “Lilo and Stitch” (and its many spin offs), but the 2025 adaptation of “Lilo and Stitch” just doesn’t have the same magic and depth the original had. Certain elements, without spoiling the original, that really made the film enjoyable (such as the multiple moments where the music of Elvis was incorporated into the story) and not just a somber reminder of the struggles many face (loss, feeling alone, etc.).

That’s not to say that “Lilo and Stitch” doesn’t have heart. It does. In fact, it seems at times there’s more heart in this particular adaptation than in the original. The pain we see on Lilo’s face when her so-called “friends” call her trash or when we see Nani having doubts on whether she is the proper person to raise Lilo, weighs even more heavily as these aren’t just animated characters on a screen, they’re people like you and me.

But, at the same time, the moments of levity are sparse. Additionally, as many have spoiled and alluded to online, that with some characters being omitted (like Gantu) and character’s having completely different endings (some of which really don’t make much sense especially with the messaging of “Ohana” and no one getting left behind), the messages don’t always come off as strong as they originally did.

What I did like with this adaptation, again, was that we got to understand the characters a little more, particularly Nani. In the original, Nani would have these lines that just felt they existed to fill up time. We didn’t really see Nani struggle as much as we do in the adaptation. She has to manage and make fully grown adult decisions when she herself is still in some respects a child herself (she’s 18). We also get to understand even more, in this adaptation, as to why Lilo and Stitch (Experiment 626) relate to each other so well. We see them come, somewhat slowly, to this realization that they need each other.

While there is more heart, some things end up being sacrificed, pacing being one of them. There are moments where the film comes to an abrupt halt and then to a slow crawl. Many of the performances were good (Newcomer Maia Kealoha brought a fresh, different performance of Lilo, and I, myself, thought it worked well). Still, I can’t help but wonder if the sacrifices were worth it. Perhaps that is a matter of perspective…

Content of Concern

While the original “Lilo and Stitch” was rated G (a rating that we almost never see these days), this adaption is rated PG for action, peril, thematic elements and some minor language to contend with. Here is what to be aware of…

VIOLENCE: Blasters from a space gun nearly hit an alien. A young character pushes another girl off the stage during a hula dance performance for being mean to her. Stitch is seen getting electrocuted. Stitch causes some chaos when he first arrives on Earth. A truck runs over stitch (he is knocked out, but not injured. He’s indestructible). An thrown item almost takes out a character’s head. Tranquilizer darts are shot at a character (they miss). Stitch, while in a getaway car with Lilo, throws some CDs at the cars behind them. A table at a luau catches fire. A character is hit in the face by a freezer door. Two characters fall off a jet ski. A character begins to drown due to another character bringing her down with him (both turn out okay). A house is shot up and destroyed by blaster rays). A character is sucked out of a spaceship (also ends up okay). A character almost shoots another character. A spaceship is seen falling out a sky.

LANGUAGE: Stitch, while in front of the Federation, says “Meega nonna Kreesta” which makes the federation members gasp and some even throw up (which I take is that he said something very vulgar in his native language). Lilo is called a “garbage girl” and told she has no friends. Diarrhea is discussed by a couple of characters.

SUGGESTIVE/SENSUAL DIALOG/SEXUAL INNUENDO: A male character tells Nani, “I love shredding you” (he’s trying to tell her he loves watching her surf and loves surfing with her, it just comes out wrong because he has feelings for her). In his attempt to fix his blunder he then states “I love watching you…” and then just gives up. Lilo tells David, Nani’s best friend, that Nani thinks David’s butt is “big and fancy.” Just like the original film, Pleakely occasionally wears some feminine attire and comes out somewhat effeminate

PARTIAL NUDITY/REVEALING CLOTHING: Women on a beach wear some revealing swimsuits and some men are shirtless. We witness Pleakely bathing, disguised as a human, in a hotel bath (just his shoulders and face are shown).

DRUGS: Lilo is given some pepper spray for protection and she ends up using it on someone later.

ALCOHOL: Someone is seen drinking a Piña Colada and other beach attendees are seen drinking as well.

OTHER: Lilo wishes on a star. Stitch steals a police cruiser. Lilo lets some chickens loose. Stitch is seen eating his boogers. Lilo and Stitch steal a kid’s car. A character is shot with a tranquilizer by accident. Lilo and Stitch have a couple more scenes where they cause some minor mischief. Lilo pretends to pick her nose. A character teleports another through a floor.

Message

If Lilo and Stitch’s main message could be summed up in one word it would be “Ohana.” Ohana is Hawaian for “family,” and family means no one gets left behind or forgotten. Yes, as one character states, Ohanas are messy, some are small, some are broken but they are all still good.

God’s family though is a different kind of family. In God’s family, everyone who loves Him and His Son are called his children. To be a part of God’s family means to be in fellowship with Him and in fellowship with other Christians. Once you are part of God’s family, He holds onto you tightly and doesn’t let go. These are just a few of the MANY scriptures that speak on being a member of God’s family…

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” —John 1:12

“He predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will” —Ephesians 1:5

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” —Ephesians 2:19-22

Final Thoughts

My feelings on “Lilo and Stitch” (2025) are mixed. Does it have the same charm and laughs as the original? Yes and no. However, there’s more heart and more development, and I think the lessons that shine in the original film still shine as brightly in the second as well. Do I like some of the creative choices filmmakers made? No. While there were good things they added (and some not so good—like a tad bit more violence and suggestive dialog), they took away things that brought the messaging of the first film full circle.

Then again, I’m not the target audience Disney is after, or maybe I am and I just didn’t know it. I think it’s admirable that Disney is trying to inspire a new generation to respect and appreciate what the classic film has to offer. Perhaps, just perhaps, the more serious tone in this adaptation might spark some strong, thoughtful conversations at the table about: family, love, loss, friendship and belonging.

Sadly, the ending of this remake betrays the Ohana family unity and commitment message. In the end of the original, Nani stays together with Lilo; they remain tight family. In the remake, Nani leaves so that she can pursue her dream of studying marine biology in college, giving her independence from Lilo. So the message is now “my dreams are more important than taking care of my family.” That viewpoint has been proclaimed for years by Liberal Feminists.

“Lilo and Stitch” still has good things to offer younger viewers and the young at heart. While there is content to be concerned about, it is tamer in comparison to films Disney has recently put out. Additionally the positive messages probably outweigh the negative.

• Violence: Moderate
• Profane language: “Oh my g*d” (1), “G*d” (3), “What the h*ll” (1), “D*mn” (repeated)
• Vulgar/Crude language: “Butt,” Insulting name-calling (several)
• Nudity: Mild —Women in swimsuits; Shirtless men
• Sex: Minor
• Drugs/Alcohol: Minor
• Occult: None
• Wokeism: Minor, but with a Feminism message at the end

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