Alien Mayhem Meets Hawaiian Heart
Kaitlyn Helinsky | September 30, 2025
“Ohana means family,” but can this recreation of a childhood classic still feel like home? In Disney's new live-action “Lilo and Stitch” movie, released July 2025, we are once again brought back to our childhood memories of what it means to find family in the most unexpected ways, like an alien that you find in an animal shelter.
A young Hawaiian girl named Lilo stumbles across a mischievous alien named Stitch, in the hopes of helping to heal Lilo's broken family. Throughout their journey together, they find that Ohana expands beyond blood through both love and belonging.
Set in modern-day Hawaii, the film follows Lilo’s journey. Lilo struggles with the recent loss of her parents, along with a disrupted relationship with her sister Nani. She later adopts a new “dog” named Stitch, who is actually an alien experiment. Stitches’ creators and home planet enemies try to come to Earth to capture Stitch and bring him back to their home planet, but Lilo, Nani, and Stitch have formed an unlikely family. They find that the true meaning of family is that no one member gets left behind.
This live-action film remake of the 2002 classic updates the CGI, along with the Hawaiian culture as a whole. The CGI techniques used within the film enhance, respect and amplify these cultural themes rather than trying to commercialize them. This new film also adds a new emotional depth to Nani’s character, making her even more beloved by original audiences.
Maia Kealoha, the actor who plays Lilo, had a standout performance in the film. She delivers viewers with a charming and authentic performance, while her relationship with Sydney Agudong (Nani) extends the film's emotional aspects. One of Kealoha’s most impactful scenes occurred early in the movie when “Lilo” breaks down in front of her classmates, expressing real, tearful emotions; displaying grief, loneliness and vulnerability, which resonate deeply with viewers.
The CGI Stitch was consistent throughout the film, allowing viewers to visualize a possible real-life Stitch. The addition of the supporting cast and new characters, such as Tutu and Mrs. Kekoa, adds to this general idea of Ohana and community support. A big standout is that the film manages to continue to honor the original emotional core while providing viewers with a step up. The “Live-Action Lilo and Stitch” presents this emotional core with a sense of realism, depth and maturity, while also giving these original characters more space to grow and allowing audiences to connect with them deeper.
I grew up watching the original “Lilo and Stitch” movie, so I had high expectations for the new live-action remake. The remake of “Lilo and Stitch” made me feel the same emotional feeling as the original and more. For me, it was easier to connect to the movie as the CGI in the new movie made it easier for me to relate it to real life. I felt as though I could go to an animal shelter and find a new adopted family member in my own Stitch.
Disney's live-action “Lilo and Stitch” proves to viewers that some movies truly are timeless. While nothing will ever be able to replace the original, this remake manages to offer viewers something new. With standout performances by up-and-coming actors and CGI, this film still leaves individuals with a sense of the Ohana that means family and no one being left behind.