Critic Reviews

In the end, Lilo & Stitch isn’t a perfect adaptation, but it’s a heartfelt and faithful one that captures the spirit of the original

This new Lilo & Stitch manages to capture the real emotion embedded in this story, while also nailing all the fun that comes from an agent of chaos discovering he has a heart.

It’s less a Hawaiian rollercoaster ride and more a winsome, feel-good flick about what it is to find one’s family— and to, in turn, be found.

Lilo & Stitch is one of the stronger results of Disney’s non-stop remake campaign, taking the emotional core of the original and amplifying it in a stirring manner.

In live-action mode, Lilo & Stitch has some of the charm of an ’80s Amblin movie, like E.T. or Gremlins.

Lilo & Stitch hammers home the ‘family matters’ message during the climax, which feels like it could have been trimmed, but overall this is expertly executed, cross-generational fun that combines the look of a lavish Disney production with oodles of oddball charm.

I guess when you take something that works and make it work slightly less, it still kinda works.

Here, “ohana” doesn’t just mean family but community, and the film does moving and spirited work in showcasing how crucial it is for us to lift each other up.

Lively, fast-paced and ever so familiar, the picture is a happy addition to the holiday. It’s worth leaving the house to see.

Children new to the story will enjoy some gross-out humor, slapstick naughtiness, and the reassuring theme that families of all kinds, including those we choose, can be devoted to the idea of ohana.