‘Lilo & Stitch’ – Chaotic and cute

It’s been two months since the last Disney live-action remake hit cinemas, and the disappointment it left still lingers.. The only benefit to the underwhelming production that was Snow White is that it sets the bar low enough for whatever follows to stand out. That opportunity belongs to Lilo & Stitch – the story of a living weapon of mass destruction discovering the meaning of family with the help of a grieving little girl.

It’s the same story told again but with some updates to the visuals. Stitch himself is astoundingly well-animated. Every fibre of his being is computer generated, yet the textures blend in perfectly with his environment. The visual effects of Lilo & Stitch shine, incorporating a fully digital creature and grounding him in the reality of the film.

Setting Lilo & Stitch in a more realistic world strips away some of its whimsical charm. Gone is the 18-foot-tall shark-man chasing the chaotic blue alien, and in his place, Jumba – his brutish yet benevolent creator – leans further into villainy than ever before. It’s a stark shift likely to upset die-hard fans, especially since Zach Galifianakis plays it safe, steering clear of Jumba’s iconic, ambiguously accented voice.

The changes don’t end there. There’s a much greater focus on the tertiary education opportunities being missed out on by Lilo’s older sister and guardian Nani, and several times the movie stops to remind you of the dangers of not having health insurance. It’s the kind of logistical details you don’t think much about in an animated adventure. The realism is even more striking as Stitch’s destructive tendencies carry much more weight when depicted as actual property damage.

Many of the film’s adjustments make sense for a live-action endeavour, but it begs the question, if so many elements of the film seem incongruent with a photo-realistic format, then perhaps it ought to not be adapted to that format in the first place.

What hasn’t changed is the sweet gooey centre underneath it all. The chaos that ensues elevates the stakes as the film flirts with the notion of a family being torn asunder. The way Stitch discovers his ability to love still yanked at my heartstrings 20 years after I’d seen the same story. No doubt the inclusion of the original voice actor Chris Sanders carries the performance home, but special mention must be made of Maia Kealoha for performing an iconic role admirably.

In the end, Lilo & Stitch may be upsetting to fans of the original who won’t be able to divorce what’s new from what they know. Even the moments where the film pays direct homage come off as mere imitation, like a strange cover version of a song you know and love. The film is a bit like Stitch himself, flawed, but also cute and fluffy. As I sat two rows behind a child adorned in a Stitch hat, sat between what I can only assume is his Ohana (family), I couldn’t help but forgive the film for its missteps. It’s messy, and a little broken, but still good.

Rating: Half Price.

Damian Levy is a film critic and podcaster for Damian Michael Movies.