It’s always difficult revisiting films that you adored in your childhood because your adult view of it is always going to skew it one way or another. Either nostalgia will get the better of you and you think that it’s the best film ever made, refusing to face facts that actually there may be several elements in it that aren’t as good as you’re making them out to be. Or it could swing completely the other way and you’ll end up tainting your childhood memories of the film because you’re finally realising it’s not as good as you remembered it being.
So, it’s naturally near impossible for me not to deliver a somewhat biased review of this film, because it was my favourite Disney film growing up, and it’s still my favourite Disney film now. So put on your hula skirts, bring the Ohana, and buckle up for one of Disney’s most criminally forgotten about animated classics, Lilo & Stitch.
6-year-old Lilo Pelekai (Daveigh Chase) has it tough. Her ‘friends’ (or hell-spawn is more appropriate) constantly put her down, tease, and bully her. Adults don’t understand her and are usually somewhat disturbed by her strange habits and ramblings. She and her older sister, Nani (Tia Carrere), have recently been orphaned by the death of their parents in a car accident, so Nani has taken on the responsibility of single parenthood and is struggling. She can’t keep down a job, she can’t control her sister, and social services are threatening to put Lilo into care if she can’t get her act together.
Meanwhile in another solar system, evil scientist Jumba Jookiba (David Ogden Stiers) is on trial for genetic experimentation when the Galactic Alliance discovers his latest and greatest experiment, #626. Jumba is imprisoned and experiment 626 is labelled an abomination, to be banished on a desert asteroid to die. However, when the Galactic Alliance underestimates 626’s abilities he escapes and plots a hyperspace jump to Earth. The Grand Councilwoman (Zoe Caldwell) sends Earth expert Wendell Pleakley (Kevin McDonald) and Jumba to Earth on a mission to recover 626 and bring him back to the Galactic Council.
In the unlikeliest of circumstances, when Nani agrees to adopt a dog to help Lilo’s social skills, the two girls unknowingly bring home Experiment-626, now named Stitch (Chris Sanders). As Lilo teaches Stitch how to be a model citizen, Nani desperately tries to get her own life back on track before her time runs out; all whilst Jumba and Pleakley try to steal Stitch back.
So, it’s naturally near impossible for me not to deliver a somewhat biased review of this film, because it was my favourite Disney film growing up, and it’s still my favourite Disney film now. So put on your hula skirts, bring the Ohana, and buckle up for one of Disney’s most criminally forgotten about animated classics, Lilo & Stitch.
6-year-old Lilo Pelekai (Daveigh Chase) has it tough. Her ‘friends’ (or hell-spawn is more appropriate) constantly put her down, tease, and bully her. Adults don’t understand her and are usually somewhat disturbed by her strange habits and ramblings. She and her older sister, Nani (Tia Carrere), have recently been orphaned by the death of their parents in a car accident, so Nani has taken on the responsibility of single parenthood and is struggling. She can’t keep down a job, she can’t control her sister, and social services are threatening to put Lilo into care if she can’t get her act together.
Meanwhile in another solar system, evil scientist Jumba Jookiba (David Ogden Stiers) is on trial for genetic experimentation when the Galactic Alliance discovers his latest and greatest experiment, #626. Jumba is imprisoned and experiment 626 is labelled an abomination, to be banished on a desert asteroid to die. However, when the Galactic Alliance underestimates 626’s abilities he escapes and plots a hyperspace jump to Earth. The Grand Councilwoman (Zoe Caldwell) sends Earth expert Wendell Pleakley (Kevin McDonald) and Jumba to Earth on a mission to recover 626 and bring him back to the Galactic Council.
In the unlikeliest of circumstances, when Nani agrees to adopt a dog to help Lilo’s social skills, the two girls unknowingly bring home Experiment-626, now named Stitch (Chris Sanders). As Lilo teaches Stitch how to be a model citizen, Nani desperately tries to get her own life back on track before her time runs out; all whilst Jumba and Pleakley try to steal Stitch back.
Lilo & Stitch was the first Disney animation I remember seeing at the cinema back in 2002 and ever since that first viewing I have been completely and utterly enamoured by this film. However, as I have gotten older, I have come to love the film for different reasons. When I was a child, I loved it because I loved stories about space and aliens, and the idea of having an alien as a pet was so cool to me, and I found Stitch so funny. Then when I was in my teens, I started to appreciate the animation and sound more; and now that I’m an adult I find the story of Nani & Lilo so beautiful and yet simultaneously heart-breaking.
It’s a surprisingly mature story for Disney to tackle in the way it does. In fact, it doesn’t feel like the kind of story you’d expect to find in a kid’s film at all. The idea of a young woman being thrust into the role of parenting her younger sibling due to the sudden and unexpected death of their parents is some heavy subject matter. To only add to this is that Nani is really not coping well, usually due to factors outside of her control, and she is the one who must always shoulder the blame.
In more recent years I’ve been able to draw some major parallels between myself and Lilo when I was her age. I was very much the weird kid who acted out in an attempt to gain friends, but usually ended up causing problems. I have personal experience of a lot of the stuff Lilo goes through in this film, and it’s a fantastic portrayal of a family on the brink of collapse.
Now that I’m older, Nani is probably my favourite character in the film and by far one of my favourite Disney characters. She's just so normal, and trying to put on a brave face whilst her world is quite literally crumbling around her. She is the epitome of the millennial struggle, and an excellent representation of young women and single mothers all around the world.
I also love the character of David (Jason Scott Lee). This guy that’s completely head over heels for Nani and will literally do anything he can to help her out. As far as I’m concerned, the world needs more David’s. He’s not in the film as much as I would like, with his character being given much more presence in the sequels, but his presence is this constant reminder that despite all the difficulties Nani faces she’s got someone who refuses to give up on her.
As for the sci-fi portion of the story surrounding Stitch and his experimental origins. It’s given enough depth so you can understand the gravity of the situation, but it’s never given enough of a spotlight to overshadow the story of Nani & Lilo. Over the course of the film Stitch’s genetic programming begins to shift from one of destruction to one of love and protection as he learns more about Hawaiian culture and the concept of family.
Jumba and Pleakley are very much the comic relief of the film, given how totally useless they are at trying to capture Stitch. Once Captain Gantu (Kevin Michael Richardson) is introduced into the mix later on in the story this dynamic of Stitch’s capture shifts away from slapstick comedy which I think is probably one of the only things I don’t look to favourably on. It makes total sense for the narrative to move in that direction, but it feels like the final act of the film removes the only comedy it had in an otherwise relatively sombre film.
It’s a surprisingly mature story for Disney to tackle in the way it does. In fact, it doesn’t feel like the kind of story you’d expect to find in a kid’s film at all. The idea of a young woman being thrust into the role of parenting her younger sibling due to the sudden and unexpected death of their parents is some heavy subject matter. To only add to this is that Nani is really not coping well, usually due to factors outside of her control, and she is the one who must always shoulder the blame.
In more recent years I’ve been able to draw some major parallels between myself and Lilo when I was her age. I was very much the weird kid who acted out in an attempt to gain friends, but usually ended up causing problems. I have personal experience of a lot of the stuff Lilo goes through in this film, and it’s a fantastic portrayal of a family on the brink of collapse.
Now that I’m older, Nani is probably my favourite character in the film and by far one of my favourite Disney characters. She's just so normal, and trying to put on a brave face whilst her world is quite literally crumbling around her. She is the epitome of the millennial struggle, and an excellent representation of young women and single mothers all around the world.
I also love the character of David (Jason Scott Lee). This guy that’s completely head over heels for Nani and will literally do anything he can to help her out. As far as I’m concerned, the world needs more David’s. He’s not in the film as much as I would like, with his character being given much more presence in the sequels, but his presence is this constant reminder that despite all the difficulties Nani faces she’s got someone who refuses to give up on her.
As for the sci-fi portion of the story surrounding Stitch and his experimental origins. It’s given enough depth so you can understand the gravity of the situation, but it’s never given enough of a spotlight to overshadow the story of Nani & Lilo. Over the course of the film Stitch’s genetic programming begins to shift from one of destruction to one of love and protection as he learns more about Hawaiian culture and the concept of family.
Jumba and Pleakley are very much the comic relief of the film, given how totally useless they are at trying to capture Stitch. Once Captain Gantu (Kevin Michael Richardson) is introduced into the mix later on in the story this dynamic of Stitch’s capture shifts away from slapstick comedy which I think is probably one of the only things I don’t look to favourably on. It makes total sense for the narrative to move in that direction, but it feels like the final act of the film removes the only comedy it had in an otherwise relatively sombre film.
I adore Lilo & Stitch’s visual design. Similar to Disney Classics of the Golden Age, the backdrops appear water coloured. This gives a hazy, lazy summer vibe to the film which works perfectly for the Hawaiian setting. It’s also bursting with bright oranges, yellows, greens, and blues to reflect the natural beauty of the island. Character models are also proportionally realistic to real people which makes a nice change in the animation space. No women with unrealistically big boobs and tiny waists, or men with washboard abs and square jawlines instead you get a wide variety of body sizes and shapes. They look like drawings of real people which is what I appreciate the most, and helps ground the more sci-fi elements.
Speaking of which the alien designs are as equally mesmerising as Hawaii. Creature and ship designs are imaginative and striking, whilst having clear logic and practicality behind all of the designs. It’s not just alien looking for the sake of it, there’s always a reason why something looks or functions the way it does.
The soundtrack is also incredible, with the opening song ‘He Mele No Lilo’ being among my favourite Disney songs of all time. The original songs reflect both the Hawaiian environment and the sci-fi elements well, plus there’s a healthy dose of Elvis sprinkled in for good measure which will definitely get you bobbing along to some of the film’s more energetic scenes.
Whilst I can admit that Lilo & Stitch is not the most technically impressive of Disney’s Animated Classics, it is a film that resonates with me so deeply that no other film in the Classics series has ever compared. The touching story of a family working through grief and fighting to stay together when the world seems to want to tear them apart will bring tears to even the driest of eyes, and the slapstick comedy is absolutely hilarious. It’s definitely one of Disney’s more experimental films, but it’s a risk I’m glad they took. With gorgeous visuals, a rocking soundtrack, and a heartfelt story, what more could you possibly want from a Disney animation?
Speaking of which the alien designs are as equally mesmerising as Hawaii. Creature and ship designs are imaginative and striking, whilst having clear logic and practicality behind all of the designs. It’s not just alien looking for the sake of it, there’s always a reason why something looks or functions the way it does.
The soundtrack is also incredible, with the opening song ‘He Mele No Lilo’ being among my favourite Disney songs of all time. The original songs reflect both the Hawaiian environment and the sci-fi elements well, plus there’s a healthy dose of Elvis sprinkled in for good measure which will definitely get you bobbing along to some of the film’s more energetic scenes.
Whilst I can admit that Lilo & Stitch is not the most technically impressive of Disney’s Animated Classics, it is a film that resonates with me so deeply that no other film in the Classics series has ever compared. The touching story of a family working through grief and fighting to stay together when the world seems to want to tear them apart will bring tears to even the driest of eyes, and the slapstick comedy is absolutely hilarious. It’s definitely one of Disney’s more experimental films, but it’s a risk I’m glad they took. With gorgeous visuals, a rocking soundtrack, and a heartfelt story, what more could you possibly want from a Disney animation?