Director: Dean Fleischer Camp Cast: Maia Kealoha, Sydney Elizabeth Agudong, Chris Sanders Rating: PG-13│Genre(s): Action, Sci-Fi │Run Time: 2h 10min DISNEY’S WASTED LIVE-ACTION COMEBACK “Lilo & Stitch was visually striking – but perhaps introducing new characters, omitting key characters and plot changes could’ve been executed better.” Lilo & Stitch (2025) is Disney’s latest live action remake of the classic 2002 animated film of the same title. The film follows 6-year-old indigenous Hawaiian girl Lilo who adopts what she thought was a dog but was in fact Experiment 626 – a destructive alien creature whom she names Stitch. Maia Kealoha, despite making her Hollywood debut at a tender age, delivers a solid performance as Lilo, capturing her quirky playfulness. Her interactions with animation make it believable and genuine – a commendable effort for someone so young. When it comes to the animated version, characters, Jumba and Pleakly hilariously use clothing, wigs and makeup to disguise themselves while going undercover on earth. However, in the live-action, the characters cleverly use alien technology to disguise themselves as humans – a common sense, yet smart move by the director. Live-action Lilo & Stitch introduces new characters and omits others. Most notable is the introduction of Mrs. Kekoa, a child services worker played by Tia Carrere, and the absence of the main animated villain, Captain Gantu. Although, Mrs. Kekeo plays an important role in the story, her presence on-screen is not particularly strong and is very forgettable. Although most audiences disagree with the ending to Lilo & Stitch, personally, I find that the ending makes sense. Spoiler alert: Nani leaves Lilo to be taken care of by longtime neighbor and friend while she goes off to college. Looking at the situation realistically, Nani has been unemployed for some time, initially waiting tables to support herself and Lilo. With limited jobs available, the best option for her would be to pursue further studies thus opening up more and better opportunities for herself. Many changes in the live-action remake left much to be desired overall – the omission of major characters, new forgettable characters and story changes. Final Verdict: Lilo & Stitch wasn’t Disney’s best live-action remake, although it was visually appealing, it could not capture the same magic in the original. Rating: ★★★ (3/10) Best suited for: Folks who haven’t watched the animated version yet.