The new, updated, partially live-action Lilo & Stitch has a lot of heart and some very big shoes to fill. Upon its release, the 2002 original became an instant classic thanks to its well-written script and a universal story about the bonds of family. The movie was full of fun, laughs, and genuine emotions that spoke to everyone, young and old. Director Dean Fleischer Camp’s remake is certainly full of tenderness and comedy, but suffers from sloppy editing, a clunky script, and a redundancy from which it cannot escape.

Screenwriters Chris Kekaniokalani Bright and Mike Van Waes receive screenplay credit, although a good deal of the film is a retread (sometimes word for word) of Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois’ work from the original. The whole experience brings nothing new to the table beyond its live action cast. 

The plot is essentially the same. Sad and friendless Lilo (Maia Kealoha) can’t seem to fit in. After the death of their parents, Lilo is in the hands of her older sister, Nani (Sydney Elizabeth Agudong), who is struggling to maintain steady work while keeping social worker Mrs. Keko (Tia Carrere) at bay. Mrs. Keko thinks their homelife is unsuitable for Lilo and is one bureaucratic step away from removing the young girl from her home.

As was the case with the original film, it is the sisters’ relationship that remains the soul of the story. Kealoha and Agudong have a good rapport, but their characters’ relationship feels dictated by plot machinations rather than real emotion. The two actresses are certainly watchable. It is the banal dialogue that fails them. 

The remake opens with a setup that finds Stitch (now and always Chris Sanders) escaping his alien planet. Stitch’s real moniker is “Experiment 626”. He was created in a lab by a nutty alien scientist called Jumba (Zach Galifianakis), but didn’t turn out to the liking of Grand Councilwoman of the United Galactic Federation (Hannah Waddington), who orders the creature destroyed. As Stitch escapes to a planet called Earth, Jumba is paired with the overly-excited Pleakley (Billy Magnussen) to retrieve and eliminate Experiment 626. Pleakey is beyond excited, as he is the federation’s Earth expert.

This film does the impossible. Zach Galifianakis has always been one of the funniest comedians of his generation and, no matter the quality of the project, always manages to get laughs. As Jumba, the actor completely destroys what made the character so unique. As Jumba and Pleakey take human form to move about in public, Galifianakis is completely unfunny and doesn’t seem to be able to grasp his character. It is the flattest work the comedian has ever done. 

As Stitch finds his way to Earth, he takes shelter in a kennel, disguising himself as a dog. Lilo adopts the strange “dog” and names him Stitch. The two help one another through the craziness that ensues, as they dodge Jumba and Pleakey, school bullies, and the threat of foster care. 

It is fun to see Tia Carrare return to the Lilo & Stitch world. The actress voiced Nani in the animated original and does good work here. Two more voices from the original (Amy Hill and Jason Scott Lee) make appearances. Lee is a mere cameo, while Hill (giving too hammy a performance) plays Tutu, Lilo and Nani’s neighbor and grandmother to David (Kaipo Dudoit), the character voiced by Jason Scott Lee in 2002. 

The cast is rounded out by Courtney B. Vance who lightens up as Agent Cobra Bubbles, a G-man who is out to capture Stitch. Vance does well in the role formerly voiced by Ving Rhames.

As for the two leads, Sydney Elizabeth Agudong does good work as Nani, showing an interesting versatility. As Lilo, Kealoha is certainly adorable and knows how to use her cuteness to good effect, but I am not sure that translates into a real performance. The young actress is endearing nonetheless.

The focus on family “Ohana” is still the strongpoint and makes for some warm moments, but the constant reminder that “Ohana means family” causes the emotions to become stilted.

Stitch gets moments to do his thing (we get a too-quick glimpse of his Elvis outfit), but most of his antics are a retread of what he did in the original. The surfing sequence that finds Stitch, Lilo, and Nani together on one board is one of the picture’s best moments. The three begin to move in unison, becoming one as they navigate the rough waves that threaten to overtake them. A heavy-handed bit of symbolism to be sure, but it is the one scene where a true emotion comes through organically. 

At times, this is a cute little movie, but only because of Stitch. The character needed something more to make him shine. 

Ultimately, the remake fails to reach the emotional and comedic heights of the original, leaving no memorable cinematic footprint. With its sloppy structure and cheaply lit cinematography, Lilo & Stitch looks more like a Disney Channel movie rather than a theatrical release. 

In 2016, Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book was the first of the new CGI/Live Action remakes of classic Disney movies. That creative and entertaining film defied odds to become both a critical and audience darling. For years, it stood as the best of the lot. Its reputation remains untarnished.

Lilo & Stitch

Written by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright& Mike Van Waes (based on a screenplay by Chris Sanders & Dean DeBlois)

Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp

Starring Maia Kealoha, Sydney Elizabeth Agudong, Tia Carrere, Courtney B. Vance, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Magnussen, Hannah Wadingham, Kaipo Dudoit, Jason Scott Lee, and Chris Sanders

PG, 108 Minutes, Walt Disney Pictures